Governments approve EU-wide driving licences

The European Commission today approved the introduction of a single European Union driving licence to replace those currently in use in the 25 member states.

Under the proposals approved by the EC's Transport Council, the plastic credit card-sized licences will come into force in 2012, although individual members states will be allowed to bring them in earlier if they wish. The old-style national licences will be phased out by 2032.

Minister of State for Transport Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher, who attended today's meeting, said the new licence would "help improve road safety by reducing the scope for fraud and providing for more effective enforcement".

The proposals will now go to the European Parliament for approval.

The European Commission, which first proposed a single licence in 2003, welcomed the agreement as part of a fight against fraud, and particularly against "driving licence tourism", where drivers get new licences from other EU countries if their own has been taken away in their own country.

"The European driving licence is of vital importance for road safety and for the fight against fraud," said EU transport commission Jacques Barrot. "It will make travel around Europe easier, without bureaucratic difficulties."

The new licence will have a photograph and the potential to carry microchip information. It will be up to individual countries to decide whether to use a microchip on the licence - but the Transport Council emphasised today that if the option is chosen governments must respect EU data protection rules.

The licences will be valid for ten years before they must be renewed. This could be extended to 15 years by individual states if they wish.

Other topics on the agenda at the Transport Council meeting were the need for more cross-border action on issues such as drink driving, the wearing of seat belts and the use of headlights for driving during daylight.

Mr Gallagher also welcomed the news that the EC was to bring forward EU legislative measures requiring the retrofitting of blind spot mirrors on all HGVs.

Additional reporting: Reuters