The European driving licence is a driving licence replacing the many driving licence
styles already in use in the member states of the European Economic Area.
It has the credit card-style with a photograph and possibly a microchip.
They were introduced to replace the 110 different plastic and paper driving licences of the
300 million drivers in the EEA.
The main objective of the licence is to decrease the risk of fraud.
History Pre-1996 European driving licence
The first step to a European driving licence was taken on 4 December 1980, when the Council
of Ministers adopted Council Directive 80EEC on the introduction of a Community driving
licence, which established a Community model national licence that guaranteed the mutual
recognition by Member States of national licences.
It also established the practice of exchange of licences by holders moving from one Member
State to another.
European driving licence as from 1996 On 29 July 1991, the Council of Ministers
adopted the Council Directive 91EEC on driving licences.
The directive required Member States to adopt laws implementing the directive before 1 July
1994, which laws would take effect on 1 July 1996.
Directive 80EEC would be repealed on the same date.
Directive 91EEC specified the European Union driving licence until its repeal 19 January
2013.
Provisions The directive harmonises the categories of
driving licences among the Member States and establishes two Community driving licence
models, one paper version and one plastic card version.
It furthermore establishes an obligatory test of knowledge and a test of skills and behaviour
which has to be successfully passed before an individual is offered a driving licence.
It also requires an applicant to meet the minimum standards of physical and mental fitness
to drive.
The directive specifies the minimum ages for driving different types of vehicles, and establishes
progressive access in categories A, C, and D, from light vehicles to larger or more powerful
vehicles.
The directive stipulates that it is mandatory to have the normal residence in the Member
State issuing the licence.
Amendments The Directive has been substantially amended
by nine directives and two acts of accession.
The plastic card version of the Community licence model, for example, was added to the
Directive by Council Directive 96EC of 23 July 1996.
European driving licence as from 2013 In March 2006, the Council of Ministers adopted
a Directive proposed by the European Commission to create a single European driving licence
to replace the 110 different models currently in existence throughout the EU/EEA.
The European Parliament adopted the Directive in December 2006.
Directive 2006EEC was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 30 December
2006.
Its provisions took effect on 19 January 2013; Directive 91EEC was then concurrently repealed.
Provisions The licence is a credit-card-style, single
plastic-coated document, very difficult to falsify.
The document will be renewable every 10 or 15 years depending on the member state.
The several member states will have the option to include a microchip containing information
about the card holder on the card.
This will prove extremely useful because police can access the driving licence in their own
language.
This would solve the problem with the three kinds of alphabet used in the EEA.
In addition, the fields of the driving licence are uniformly numbered, thus allowing the
police to decipher the meaning of the fields without electronic access.
Some categories like C and D will be issued for five years only.
After expiration, a medical check-up is necessary in order to renew the licence for another
five years.
EEA relevance The directive mentions that it has EEA relevance,
meaning that its provisions apply to Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, as well as the EU.
Implementation The directive stipulates that members states
should adopt laws implementing the directive no later than 19 January 2011.
Those laws should take effect in all EEA members states on 19 January 2013.
All licences issued before that date will become invalid by 2033.
Categories valid in all EEA countries National categories
Furthermore there are more national categories for tractors, large motorcycles, motorised
wheel boats, motor tricycles and military categories such as for driving tanks.
National categories means they are not harmonised and only valid within the issuing country.
Austria Bulgaria
Croatia Germany
Norway Poland
Switzerland Even though Switzerland is a EFTA member state,
it is not a member of the European Economic Area.
Switzerland has, however, generally adopted much of the harmonised EU legislation with
regard to driving licences.
Swiss licences can be exchanged in most EEA countries.
Switzerland has, since the 2000s, used the EU system of vehicle categories and issued
EEA-style credit-card licences.
To apply for a car driving licence, the applicant must be 18 years old.
They must first attend first aid courses, and pass an eyesight test.
Passing a theory exam is required to receive a learner's permit/licence valid for two years.
This allows holders to drive a car only if accompanied by an adult aged 23 or more who
has had a full driving licence for a minimum of three years.
Before passing the practical exam, the candidate must attend 10 hours of theory lessons on
"sensibilisation [familiarisation] to road traffic".
Practical driving lessons are not legally required, but are considered a de facto prerequisite
for passing the practical exam [taken] with a government official [Driving Test Examiner].
Upon succeeding the practical exam, a probationary driving licence is issued for three years.
To obtain the full, unlimited, driving licence after these three years, the candidate must
not commit a serious traffic offence, and attend two days of further driving training.
For motorcycles and heavier vehicles, the regulations are different, and some agrarian
vehicles can be driven without a licence.
As of 2011, a 45-minute driving lesson costs around 90 CHF, while the various fees and
theoretical instruction costs associated with getting a car driving licence can amount to
up to CHF 600, without counting the costs for the two days of further training.
The theoretical exam must be taken in either German, French or Italian.
In some cantons it is possible to take it in English.
Gallery Sample licence
Sample licence from Poland a): Though the EU directive states, this to
be other names, local variations may occurb): The addition of the personal number, is a
local variation.
The EU directive states that 4(d) is optional and should be a number other than the one
listed under number 5c): The address is optional in the EU directive, and thus not implemented
by all countries See also
Driver's license European Commissioner for Transport
International driving licence Vehicle registration plates of the European
Union References
External links http:www.workpermit.com2006_12_18european_driving_license.htm
http:ec.europa.euen3826/330 http:www.euractiv.comtransportarticle-160496
http:news.bbc.co.ukhi6180617.stm http:www.direct.gov.ukMotoringWhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547