European Parliament

2014-2019

Committee on Petitions

26.8.2015

NOTICE TO MEMBERS

Subject: Petition No 0443/2014by Sabine Voigt (German) on the EU driving licence

and British legislation

1. Summary of petition

The petitioner is a German national who, having emigrated to the United Kingdom, obtained a
British driving licence in 2006. Her petition relates to the fact that her driving licence was
valid for an unlimited period in Germany, whereas in the United Kingdom she has to renew
her licence after five years and, for that purpose, undergo a medical examination. She points
out that her British husband, who obtained his driving licence while the earlier directive was
still in force, that is to say, when the period of validity was a matter dealt with at national
level, is not subject to any time limit where the licence is concerned and that, had he moved to
Germany, no limits would have been imposed on its period of validity. The petition calls on
Parliament to ascertain that the Member States are interpreting the new Driving Licence
Directive in the same way and to amend the law so as to ensure that when a person changes
his or her licence, the period of validity of the old licence will not be altered.

2. Admissibility

Declared admissible on 30 January 2015. Information requested from Commission under Rule
216(6).

3. Commission reply, received on 26 August 2015

In 2006, when Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences applied, Member States could apply
their national rules on the period of validity and medical checks to driving licences issued by
another Member States, if the holder of such a licence had taken up normal residence on their
territory. In the UK, such rules applied for issuing as well as for exchanging licences of other
Member States. As indicated by the petitioner, the rules in the UK changed for licences issued
since 1997, which is why a licence issued in 1994 was not subject to these rules.

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 The current Directive on driving licences, Directive 2006/126/EC, harmonised the
administrative validity period across the EU between 5 and 15 years, depending on the
category (licences for categories D1 and D1E are valid for 5 years and subject to a medical
examination). Therefore, licences renewed or exchanged after 19 January 2013 for category
D1 and D1E are subject to medical examination and 5 years administrative validity,
regardless in which Member State they are issued or renewed.
The current Directive also requires Member States to ensure that all driving licences
circulating in the EU comply with the new requirements by 19 January 2033. This also applies
to the harmonised administrative validity periods, which means that licences, such as the one
issued in 1994, will also be subject to the provisions on administrative validity period in the
future.
Conclusion
Since Directive 91/439/EEC allowed Member States to set administrative validity periods of
licences they have issued according to national rules and since Directive 2006/126/EC has
harmonised administrative validity as well as introduced obligatory medical examination for
issuing of licences for trucks or buses, the Commission, on the basis of the information
received, cannot see any violation of the harmonisation rules on driving licences or other
grounds for further action.

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