Europe gets a driving license

By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 2006-03-28

Comments (3)    Join conversation

"All drivers will have clear, modern licenses that will be accepted in all Member States - I am pleased the Council succeeded in reaching this agreement," Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible of Transport, said yesterday in Brussels.

He was referring to a new common European driving License approved yesterday by the European Council of Ministers. The political agreement will be turned into a directive by the end of this year and the new licenses are planned to be in effect by 2012.

The credit-card type licenses will mean an end to "driving license tourism," a practice in which drivers whose licenses are suspended in one state can go to another and become licensed there. Their new license must then be accepted in their home state.

Better definitions of driving licence categories will be a benefit of the new license. It will make clear exactly who is entitled to drive what. It also provides for the introduction of a license for mopeds and graded rights to operate bigger and more powerful motorcycles.

Riders will need to be aged at least 24 years to operate the latter category and will have to take a theoretical and practical test. People who want to ride the most powerful motorcycles before that age will need to gain two years experience on lighter types. The new rules also set minimum standards for driving examiners.

European Member States will be free to decide if they want to include a microchip on the new license cards. If they do include a chip, they will be required to respect EU data protection rules.

The new licenses will be valid for limited periods, most likely 10 years but perhaps as many as 15.

Login or sign up to receive email notification
when a comment is added to this thread.

NOTE - You can cancel at any time, and we have a strict privacy policy which forbids us from sharing your email address or other information with any third party.