Filenews 8 March 2022 - by TheanoThiopoulou
A review of the requirements for driving licences is being sought by the Commission in an effort to have a common approach to training and examination and also to ensure that road safety rules are respected across the EU and that drivers travelling across borders comply with road transport legislation when driving in another Member State. The European Commission announced last week that it had launched two public consultations, one on future rules on driving licences and one on the cross-border enforcement of road traffic rules. The aim of future legislation is to improve road safety, in line with the EU's commitment to halve road deaths by 2030.
The legislation will also further facilitate the free movement of persons within the EU and promote the digitalisation of the sector. The Commission invites citizens and other stakeholders to express their views on a number of aspects. As regards driving licences, the consultation concerns in particular the training of drivers and probationary periods, the introduction of digital driving licences and the mutual recognition of the withdrawal of the right to drive. As regards cross-border enforcement, the consultation concerns in particular mutual assistance and recognition procedures in the context of cross-border investigations into road traffic offences, the cross-border imposition of financial penalties, as well as the improvement of regulatory monitoring.
The revision of the existing legislation is one of the actions foreseen in the strategy for sustainable and smart mobility. The public consultations will feed into the ongoing work on the impact assessments of the two initiatives and will help the Commission to identify possible measures to be included in the legislative proposals. The consultations will last until May 2022. Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: "Better harmonisation of the rules on driving licences is essential to have safer roads across the EU. We already have a common approach to training and examination requirements, but we also need to look at how to adapt this process to make it even more effective."
The design of the road network and the characteristics of vehicles have evolved considerably, but it is also a given that there are many more people on the road, which makes driving difficult. Digital driving licences can be an important step in facilitating the free movement of persons. However, we should also ensure that road safety rules are respected throughout the EU and that drivers travelling across borders comply with road transport legislation when driving in another Member State. I am counting on the input of industry, civil society, academia and public authorities, which can help us identify challenges and solutions that can support our efforts to make the EU's roads safer."
According to recent data, Sweden remains the country with the safest roads (18 deaths per million), while Romania (85 deaths per million) recorded the highest mortality rate in 2020. The EU average was 42 deaths per million inhabitants. In Greece and Cyprus the number remains above the European average, with 54 deaths per million in both countries
