Driving licences: The Commission sends reasoned opinions to three Member States

Publication date: 26 June 2009

The European Commission has today issued reasoned opinions against three Member States of the European Union who have not yet communicated the measures to transpose into national law a Community directive on driving licences.

The directive in question *1 introduces amendments to the technical annexes to the Directive on driving licences. The main amendment, prompted by the concern to increase safety in critical infrastructures, provides that every candidate for a driving licence must have a good knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of driving in tunnels. Other amendments relate to the definition of vehicles with automatic transmission and the transitional period in which old heavy goods vehicles may still be used for the practical test for a driving licence in that category.

Portugal, Cyprus and the Czech Republic have not yet communicated the measures under national law to transpose that directive. The deadline for transposition was 30 September 2008.

A reasoned opinion is the second stage in the infringement procedure for failure to transpose directives within the prescribed period. The Member States have two months within which to reply before commencement of the next stage in the procedure.

*1: Commission Directive 2008/65/EC of 27 June 2008 amending Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences.

Source: Europa Press Room