The European Parliament has approved two texts that pave the way for digital driving licenses on smartphones by the end of 2030. They do not replace the physical driver’s license, but both will be valid.
In the future, it will also be possible to begin training to become a truck driver at the age of 17. However, until they turn 18, candidate-truck drivers are only allowed to drive under the supervision of an experienced driver.
It will also become possible to ban a foreign EU citizen who commits a serious traffic offence in one Member State from driving in the entire EU. Traffic fines obtained in another EU country will also be followed up on more effectively.
Traffic safety
This revision of driver’s licenses should help make road traffic safer and reduce the number of accidents. Almost 20,000 people die in traffic accidents each year in the EU, and the goal is to reduce that number to zero by 2050.
All European citizens will have access to a fully digital driver’s licence on their mobile phone by 2030 – it will be integrated into the future European digital portfolio. Driver’s licenses for cars and motorcycles will be valid for 15 years, up from the current 10 years.
Furthermore, the category B driving license will also apply to electric vehicles up to 4.25 tons, instead of 3.5 tons. This adjustment is primarily intended to encourage the switch to electric propulsion (which is heavier due to the battery).
Specific health issues
Drivers’ suitability will be assessed through a mandatory self-assessment before their driver’s license is issued or renewed. National assessment systems will supplement these assessments. In Belgium, a doctor’s opinion is required for specific health problems. Drivers of trucks and buses in categories C, CE, D, and DE are required to undergo a medical check-up every five years in Belgium.
Any withdrawal, suspension, or restriction of a driver’s licence abroad must be communicated to the EU country that issued the driver’s license, so that the sanction can also be applied across national borders.
Permanent loss of driver’s licence
However, only the most serious offenses result in the temporary or permanent loss of a driver’s license across the EU. These include speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, traffic violations resulting in death or serious injury, and hit-and-run.
Member States will have three years to transpose the new provisions into national law, and one year to prepare for their implementation.
