While a year ago, we welcomed the European Parliament’s vote on the Driving Licence Directive, today we are concerned about the provisional agreement reached by the Council and the European Parliament on 25 March 2025.
Unjustified Age limit was included in the provisional agreement
From the information contained in the press releases of the two institutions, the new rules will introduce a fully digital driving licence by defaults after a brief transitional period. While we welcome that the physical driving licences will remain available at request, we call on Member States to make sure the digitalisation will not impede the whole process to get and renew a driving licence and it will not come with additional fees for drivers.
Even more concerning is the agreement reached on the age limit included in the provisional agreement since EU countries will have the possibility to shorten the validity of driving licence of drivers aged 65 years and older. We totally support the need to ensure fitness to drive for everyone, we don’t agree on an age limit that is discriminatory and arbitrary, not supported by evidence.
The revision of the Driving Licence directive is part of the EU’s Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030, where the Commission recommitted to the aim to get close to zero deaths and zero serious injuries on EU roads by 2050, as well as to the medium-term goal to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030. So let’s make sure the driving licence directive contains provisions that will support this aim.
The provisional agreement will now need to be endorsed by the member states’ representatives within the Council and by the European Parliament before formal adoption by both institutions.
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