Directive 2006/126 - Driving licences (Recast)

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Contents

  1. Current status
  2. Key information
  3. Key dates
  4. Legislative text
  5. Original proposal
  6. Sources and disclaimer
  7. Full version
  8. EU Monitor

1.

Current status

This directive has been published on December 30, 2006, entered into force on January 19, 2007 and should have been implemented in national regulation on January 19, 2011 at the latest.

2.

Key information

official title

Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on driving licences (Recast)
 
Legal instrument Directive
Number legal act Directive 2006/126
Original proposal COM(2003)621 EN
CELEX number127 32006L0126

3.

Key dates

Document 20-12-2006
Publication in Official Journal 30-12-2006; Special edition in Romanian: Chapter 07 Volume 017,Special edition in Bulgarian: Chapter 07 Volume 017,OJ L 403, 30.12.2006,Special edition in Croatian: Chapter 07 Volume 008
Effect 19-01-2007; Entry into force Date pub. + 20 See Art 18
19-01-2009; Partial application See Art 18
End of validity 31-12-9999
Transposition 19-01-2011; At the latest

4.

Legislative text

30.12.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 403/18
 

DIRECTIVE 2006/126/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 20 December 2006

on driving licences (Recast)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 71 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1),

After consulting the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (2),

Whereas:

 

(1)

Council Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences (3) has been significantly amended on several occasions. Now that new amendments are being made to the said Directive, it is desirable, in order to clarify matters, that the provisions in question should be recast.
 

(2)

The rules on driving licences are essential elements of the common transport policy, contribute to improving road safety, and facilitate the free movement of persons taking up residence in a Member State other than the one issuing the licence. Given the importance of individual means of transport, possession of a driving licence duly recognised by a host Member State promotes free movement and freedom of establishment of persons. Despite the progress achieved with harmonising the rules on driving licences, significant differences have persisted between Member States in the rules on periodicity of licences renewal and on subcategories of vehicles, which needed to be harmonised more fully, in order to contribute to the implementation of Community policies.
 

(3)

The possibility of laying down national provisions with regard to the period of validity provided for in Directive 91/439/EEC leads to the co-existence of different rules in different Member States and over 110 different models of driving licences valid in the Member States. This creates problems of transparency for citizens, police forces and the administrations responsible for the administration of driving licences and leads to the falsification of documents which sometimes date back several decades.
 

(4)

In order to prevent the single European driving licence model from becoming an additional model to the 110 already in circulation, Member States should take all necessary measures to issue this single model to all licence holders.
 

(5)

This Directive should not prejudice existing entitlements to drive granted or acquired before its date of application.
 

(6)

Driving licences are mutually recognised. Member States should be able to apply the period of validity prescribed by this Directive to a licence without a limited administrative validity issued by another Member State and whose holder has resided on their territory for more than two years.
 

(7)

The introduction of a period of administrative validity for new driving licences should make it possible to apply at the time of periodic renewal the most recent counter-falsification measures and the medical examinations or other measures provided for by the Member States.
 

(8)

On road safety grounds, the minimum requirements for the issue of a driving licence should be laid down. Standards for driving tests and licensing need to be harmonised. To this end the knowledge, skills and behaviour connected with driving motor vehicles should be defined, the driving test should be based on these concepts and the minimum standards of physical and mental fitness for driving such vehicles should be redefined.
 

(9)

Proof of fulfilment of compliance with minimum standards of physical and mental fitness for driving by drivers of vehicles used for the transport of persons or goods should be provided when...


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This text has been adopted from EUR-Lex.

5.

Original proposal

 

6.

Sources and disclaimer

For further information you may want to consult the following sources that have been used to compile this dossier:

This dossier is compiled each night drawing from aforementioned sources through automated processes. We have invested a great deal in optimising the programming underlying these processes. However, we cannot guarantee the sources we draw our information from nor the resulting dossier are without fault.

 

7.

Full version

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The full version is available for registered users of the EU Monitor by ANP and PDC Informatie Architectuur.

8.

EU Monitor

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  • 1. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 2. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 3. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 4. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 5. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 6. 
    The sub-categories provided for by Directive 91/439/EEC are A1, B1, C1,
     
  • 7. 
    OJ L 226, 10.9.2003.

     
  • 8. 
    Article 7(5) of Directive 91/439/EEC stipulates that: 'No person may hold a driving licence from more than one Member State'.

     
  • 9. 
    Council Act of 17 June 1998 drawing up the Convention on Driving Disqualifications, OJ C 216, 10.7.1998.

     
  • 10. 
    Convention on Road Safety, 19 September 1949, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol.125, p.3.

     
  • 11. 
    See footnote 2.

     
  • 12. 
    Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 March 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts, OJ C 77, 28.3.2002.

     
  • 13. 
    Commission Decision 2000/275/EC of 21 March 2000 on equivalences between certain categories of driving licences, OJ L 091, 12 April 2000, p. 1.

     
  • 14. 
    An example of an equivalence: a licence of category 'B' issued in Germany between 1 June 1982 and 2 October 1990 is equivalent to categories B,
     
  • 15. 
    Austria, Belgium, France and Germany. However, France has recently decided to change this policy and is about to implement new legislation on this topic.

     
  • 16. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 17. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 18. 
    The determination of the scope of the principle of mutual recognition has been established by the ECJ in paragraph 26 of C-193/94 Skanavi: "Article 1(2)
     
  • 19. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 20. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 21. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 22. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 23. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 24. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 25. 
    The expression 'vehicle categories' is used to mean vehicles that can be driven with a given category of driving licence.

     
  • 26. 
    Directive 2002/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 March 2002 relating to the type-approval of two or three-wheel motor vehicles and repealing Directive 92/61/EEC, OJ L 124, 9.5.2002, p. 1.

     
  • 27. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 28. 
    Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003 on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers, amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 and Council Directive 91/439/EEC and repealing Council Directive 76/914/EEC, OJ L 226, 10.9.2003.

     
  • 29. 
    See footnote 7.

     
  • 30. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 31. 
    JO no C 48 27.2.1989, p. 1.

     
  • 32. 
    JO no C 159 26.6.1989, p. 21.

     
  • 33. 
    JO C

     
  • 34. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1. Directive last amended by Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003 (OJ L 226, 10.9.2003, p. 4).

     
  • 35. 
    OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

     
  • 36. 
    OJ L 226, 10.9.2003, p. 4.

     
  • 37. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 38. 
    The sub-categories provided for by Directive 91/439/EEC are A1, B1, C1,
     
  • 39. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 40. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 41. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 42. 
    The sub-categories provided for by Directive 91/439/EEC are A1, B1, C1,
     
  • 43. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 44. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 45. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 46. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 47. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 48. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 49. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 50. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 51. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 52. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 53. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 54. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 55. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 56. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 57. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 58. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 59. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 60. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 61. 
    OJ L 370, 31.12.1985, p. 1.

     
  • 62. 
    OJ L 370, 31.12.1985, p. 8.

     
  • 63. 
    Directive 91/439/EEC was also amended by the following act which has not been repealed: Act concerning the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden (OJ C 241, 29.8.1994, p. 21).

     
  • 64. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 65. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 66. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 67. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 68. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 69. 
    The sub-categories provided for by Directive 91/439/EEC are A1, B1, C1,
     
  • 70. 
    OJ L 226, 10.9.2003.

     
  • 71. 
    Article 7(5) of Directive 91/439/EEC stipulates that: 'No person may hold a driving licence from more than one Member State'.

     
  • 72. 
    Council Act of 17 June 1998 drawing up the Convention on Driving Disqualifications, OJ C 216, 10.7.1998.

     
  • 73. 
    Convention on Road Safety, 19 September 1949, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol.125, p.3.

     
  • 74. 
    See footnote 2.

     
  • 75. 
    Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 March 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts, OJ C 77, 28.3.2002.

     
  • 76. 
    Commission Decision 2000/275/EC of 21 March 2000 on equivalences between certain categories of driving licences, OJ L 091, 12 April 2000, p. 1.

     
  • 77. 
    An example of an equivalence: a licence of category 'B' issued in Germany between 1 June 1982 and 2 October 1990 is equivalent to categories B,
     
  • 78. 
    Austria, Belgium, France and Germany. However, France has recently decided to change this policy and is about to implement new legislation on this topic.

     
  • 79. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 80. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 81. 
    The determination of the scope of the principle of mutual recognition has been established by the ECJ in paragraph 26 of C-193/94 Skanavi: "Article 1(2)
     
  • 82. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 83. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 84. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 85. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 86. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 87. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 88. 
    The expression 'vehicle categories' is used to mean vehicles that can be driven with a given category of driving licence.

     
  • 89. 
    Directive 2002/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 March 2002 relating to the type-approval of two or three-wheel motor vehicles and repealing Directive 92/61/EEC, OJ L 124, 9.5.2002, p. 1.

     
  • 90. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 91. 
    Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003 on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers, amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 and Council Directive 91/439/EEC and repealing Council Directive 76/914/EEC, OJ L 226, 10.9.2003.

     
  • 92. 
    See footnote 7.

     
  • 93. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 94. 
    JO no C 48 27.2.1989, p. 1.

     
  • 95. 
    JO no C 159 26.6.1989, p. 21.

     
  • 96. 
    JO C

     
  • 97. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1. Directive last amended by Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003 (OJ L 226, 10.9.2003, p.

    4).

     
  • 98. 
    OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

     
  • 99. 
    OJ L 226, 10.9.2003, p. 4.

     
  • 100. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 101. 
    The sub-categories provided for by Directive 91/439/EEC are A1, B1, C1,
     
  • 102. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 103. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 104. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 105. 
    The sub-categories provided for by Directive 91/439/EEC are A1, B1, C1,
     
  • 106. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 107. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 108. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 109. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 110. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 111. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 112. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 113. 
    OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 5.

     
  • 114. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 115. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 116. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 117. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 118. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 119. 
    Convention on Road Traffic, 8 November 1968, United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 1042, p.17.

     
  • 120. 
    Case 16/78 Choquet
     
  • 121. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 122. 
    OJ L 375, 31.121980, p. 1.

     
  • 123. 
    OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

     
  • 124. 
    OJ L 370, 31.12.1985, p. 1.

     
  • 125. 
    OJ L 370, 31.12.1985, p. 8.

     
  • 126. 
    Directive 91/439/EEC was also amended by the following act which has not been repealed: Act concerning the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden (OJ C 241, 29.8.1994, p. 21).

     
  • 127. 
    Deze databank van de Europese Unie biedt de mogelijkheid de actuele werkzaamheden (workflow) van de Europese instellingen (Europees Parlement, Raad, ESC, Comité van de Regio's, Europese Centrale Bank, Hof van Justitie enz.) te volgen. EURlex volgt alle voorstellen (zoals wetgevende en begrotingsdossiers) en mededelingen van de Commissie, vanaf het moment dat ze aan de Raad of het Europees Parlement worden voorgelegd.
     
  • 128. 
    EUR-lex provides an overview of the proposal, amendments, citations and legality.