The consensus on updating the EU driving licence directive, reached on Tuesday morning, aims to improve road safety in Europe, among other things, as well as alleviate staff shortages in the transport industry. Negotiators from the Parliament and Council agreed on smartphone-based driving licences, a trial period for new drivers, and “accompanied” driving.
From the point of view of the transport sector, the most important change will be the one concerning the minimum age for obtaining a professional driver’s licence.
“To ease the shortage of professional drivers, the minimum age at which a driver can obtain a truck driving licence will be lowered from 21 to 18 years (…), provided the applicant has a certificate of professional competence. EU countries may allow 17-year-olds to drive trucks or vans on their territory only if accompanied by an experienced driver. This accompanying driver system will be applied more widely across the EU for drivers of passenger cars,” reads a press release from the European Parliament.
The provisional agreement still needs to be approved by the Council and the European Parliament. Member States will have four years to adapt the new rules into national law and prepare for their implementation.
Digital driving licence document
Another novelty will be a digital driving licence, available on a smartphone with digital wallet technology throughout the EU, which, under the new regulations, will become the main format in the Union.
Member States will have five years and six months from the entry into force of the new rules to implement the digital driving licence. Drivers will still have the right to apply for a physical driving licence.
Using your phone while driving
The agreement also introduces new requirements to ensure that drivers are better prepared for real-life traffic situations and have sufficient awareness of the risks to pedestrians, children, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
“To obtain a driving licence, drivers will have to learn about safe use of the phone while driving, the dangers of blind spots, driver assistance systems, safe door opening and driving in snow and on slippery surfaces,” informs the European Parliament.
Validity of documents and health checks
In addition, negotiators agreed that driving licences should be valid for 15 years for those with a driving licence for motorcycles and cars. EU countries can shorten this period to 10 years if the document can also be used as an identity card. However, truck and bus driving licences will have to be renewed every 5 years. EU countries can shorten the validity of driving licences for older drivers (65 and older).
Before a first driving licence is issued, the driver should undergo medical examinations, including eyesight and cardiovascular tests. However, for car or motorcyclist drivers, EU countries may decide to replace the medical examination with self-assessment forms or, in the case of licence renewal, other alternative means. At the initiative of MEPs, national authorities will be encouraged to raise public awareness of the minimum standards of physical and mental fitness for driving.
The transport organisation is happy
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has welcomed the agreement on driving licences. It said the outcome of the negotiations on the rules reflected long-standing priorities of the road transport sector and supported efforts to ensure road safety and ease the growing shortage of professional drivers.
“This pragmatic tripartite compromise shows real support at EU level for removing barriers to the driving profession – crucial as shortages worsen. It introduces legal clarity, modernised rules and progress on access for young people to the profession, third-country drivers and digital driving licences,” said Raluca Marian, EU Advocacy Director at the IRU.
17-year-olds behind the wheel of a truck
The idea of introducing a lower age limit for obtaining a truck driver’s licence began to germinate in Germany eight years ago and at that time caused a lot of controversy in the transport industry. In 2017, the German Road Safety Council (DSV) issued a positive opinion on lowering the age limit. In 2022, two German factions, the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany, which is in the government coalition) and the CDU, submitted a motion to the Lower Saxony parliament, in which they demanded lowering the minimum age at which you can obtain a category C/C+E driving licence to 17 years. The condition, as in the case of the new EU regulations, was driving with a companion.
The SPD and CDU justified the proposal with the lack of truck drivers, which will become increasingly serious in the coming years due to the ageing of this professional group, while the demand for truck transport is growing. Those interested in becoming drivers usually leave school at the age of 16 and then, according to the regulations, have to wait two years before they can obtain a truck driving licence and start working in the profession. According to politicians, this discourages many young people from choosing this career path. However, the corresponding regulations have not yet been introduced into German law.