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European Parliament seeks EU-wide drivers' license bans

February 6, 2024

One quirk of EU driving is if you have a German drivers' license, for example, but commit offenses in another country that lead to a driving ban, that ban only applies there. Brussels is looking to close this loophole.

https://p.dw.com/p/4c6u4
Partial photographs of a German drivers license
Currently a driver is not banned from driving throughout Europe if their license is suspended in a country other than where their license was issuedImage: Sina Schuldt/dpa/picture alliance

The European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favor of plans to implement driving bans that can apply throughout the bloc. 

The draft proposal, which is still some distance from becoming law, passed by 372 votes in favor to 220 against at first reading; 41 members of the parliament abstained.

Further progress is now not likely prior to European Parliament elections later this year.

What is the main change being proposed? 

The EU has a unified drivers' license scheme meaning, for the most part, that people qualified to drive in one member state can drive in them all. 

If you lose your license in the country where it was issued, or face a driving suspension there, then you are left without a license, unable to drive legally anywhere in the EU. 

However, if you commit offenses leading to a ban or suspension in a different member state, currently, the penalties and restrictions will often only apply to driving where the offense was committed, not in your country of residence or the rest of the bloc.

"I am positive this directive will not only help reduce road accidents, but it will also contribute to better awareness among citizens about more responsible driving and a willingness to follow the rules and accept the consequences of breaking them, no matter where in the EU we drive," Bulgarian member of the European Parliament Petar Vitanov was quoted as saying.

Which offenses could a driver be disqualified for?

The disqualification rules were presented in March 2023 as part of a Road safety package which seeks to minimize fatalities on EU roads by 2050. 

MEPs suggested including driving without a valid licence to the list of severe traffic offences — which currently includes drink driving or causing a fatal traffic accident — that would automatically trigger the exchange of information on driving disqualification between EU states. 

In most cases, for licensed drivers, the crucial step would be informing the country that had issued the individual with a license.

Driving 50 km/h faster than the speed limit is also deemed a severe traffic offence that can result in driving disqualification. MEPs on Tuesday recommened a lower threshold of 30 km/h above the legal limit for residential areas. 

km/msh (dpa)