The European Parliament’s Transport Committee agreed by a single vote on its position on updating the EU’s driving licence directive on Thursday (7 December), backing controversial provisions that would make medical checks mandatory for obtaining a new licence.
The vote in the Transport Committee was passed by 22 MEPs in favour, 21 against and two abstentions, reflecting the wide division over the substance of the text.
Karima Delli, the Green MP responsible for the file, said the parliament’s position “reminds us that the driving licence is a tool in the service of road safety”, and that the new rules would help the EU achieve its goal of reducing the annual number of road deaths of around 20,000 in the bloc by 50% by 2030.
Under the proposed rules, a medical professional would have to certify that drivers do not have conditions that would make them less safe while driving. This would apply to new drivers and those renewing their licenses.
Although the vision test is considered standard, the exact medical requirements, as well as the authorities that can carry out the medical examinations, will be up to each EU country to determine.
The Greens and Socialists had been calling for medical checks to be made a requirement rather than an option – as is already the case in many EU countries – arguing that doing so was necessary to reduce serious road accidents. However, they faced a backlash from conservative lawmakers, who described it as an unnecessary restriction.
MEP Elzbieta Lukasiewska, the centre-right European People’s Party’s chief negotiator on the driving licence issue, said the group “will continue its fight to preserve citizens’ mobility and independence without subjecting them to unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles”.
Given the closeness of the vote, it is understood that the EPP group aims to water down or delete the amendment during the plenary vote, where all MEPs must sign off on the parliament’s position, which is expected to take place in January or February.
At the Council, the body representing EU member states, ministers agreed to allow countries to impose mandatory medical checks or allow a “self-assessment” option, where drivers prove they are medically and mentally fit to drive.
To the Greens’ frustration, parliament rejected a proposal to shorten the validity of driving licences for those over 70. In the run-up to the vote, the EPP group campaigned against the proposal, calling it discriminatory and claiming it would hurt pensioners’ mobility.
Under the Commission’s position, older drivers will be subject to the same renewal period as other drivers, with MEPs agreeing that licences should be valid for at least 15 years for motorbikes, cars and tractors, and five years for trucks and buses.
Parliament also tightened the maximum alcohol consumption that new drivers can consume before driving to 0.2 grams of alcohol per litre of blood. However, since most countries already have such a limit, the move will only affect Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark and Finland.
Accompanied driving
MPs also voted to allow 17-year-olds to start driving trucks if they are accompanied by a professional driver – a move supported by the road freight industry but denounced by safety campaigners.
The road freight industry has described the move as vital to boosting the number of truck drivers on European roads, noting that more drivers are retiring than joining the industry.
According to the International Road Transport Union, the group representing the road freight industry, Europe currently faces a shortage of around 600,000 truck and bus drivers, with the number expected to rise.
The International Drivers’ Association called Thursday’s vote “a major step forward in removing critical barriers to entry into the bus and truck driving profession.”
However, safety campaigners warn that such a provision would pave the way for a greater proportion of heavy vehicles to be driven by teenagers, who they claim are more likely to take risks while driving.
While the EU-wide recommendation is 21, five Member States currently allow 18-year-olds to drive trucks: Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland and Spain.
“This legislation has been introduced under the banner of a ‘road safety package’ – but frankly if we end up encouraging large numbers of teenagers to drive trucks the consequences will be devastating,” said Elaine Townsend, policy director at advocacy group the European Transport Safety Council.
After the vote in plenary next year, the European Parliament will enter into discussions with member states to finalise the legislation.
(Edited by Natalie Weatherald)
