EU: European Parliament gives green light to new driving rules, driving licence from 17 years of age

Brussels, 21 October (LaPresse) – MEPs have given final approval to a revision of EU rules on driving licences concerning new drivers, digital licences and decisions to withdraw licences. The European Parliament has therefore confirmed an update to EU driving licence rules aimed at improving road safety and reducing the number of road deaths in Europe, which now stands at almost 20,000 per year. The two directives, the result of an agreement with the Council, were adopted without a vote as no amendments were tabled, in line with the second reading of the ordinary legislative procedure. Among the updates is the possibility of obtaining a driving licence (category B) at the age of 17, provided that the driver is accompanied by an experienced driver until the age of 18. The new rules will enter into force on the twentieth day following their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. EU countries will have three years to transpose these new provisions into national law and another year to prepare for their implementation.