In March 2023, the European Commission (EC) published a proposal to revise the EU Driving Licence Directive (COM(2023)127).Importantly, the proposal amends Directive (EU) 2022/2561 on professional drivers’ CPC training and repeals the current Driving Licence Directive 2006/126/EC. The Directive covers all types of licences, including licences issued to professional drivers.
On 7 December 2023, the TRAN Committee of the European Parliament adopted its report on the revision of the EU Driving Licence Directive. A vote in the plenary is now scheduled for the end of February 2024. The TRAN report introduces a number of important changes for professional drivers, such as the clarification of the professional minimum driving, the introduction of an accompanying driving scheme for 17-year-olds for C and C1 licence categories, and a proposal to create an EU framework to facilitate the recognition of third-country professional drivers Certificate of Professional Competences (CPCs).
However, important discrepancies remain with the Council’s common position, which was adopted on 5 December 2023, and which also supports the accompanied driving scheme for 17-year-old C and C1 drivers, but on a voluntary basis. The Council, however, does not support the recognition of third country drivers CPCs.
What next?
If the Parliament agrees on a position at the end of February, a trilogue could possibly start with the participation of the Council, Parliament and the European Commission, to reconcile their positions. It is unlikely however that such a trilogue would be finished under the current legislature. Most probably the dossier will be finalised after the election of the new European Parliament in June this year, possibly by the end of 2024.
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