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Brussels/EU-wide – Health tests for older drivers are also not mandatory with the reform of EU driving license rules. Unlike proposed by the EU Commission, an agreement between the European Parliament and member countries does not provide for this as of Tuesday night. Driving licenses should be valid for 15 instead of ten years in the future. For drivers over 65, the validity period can be shortened. Stricter rules also apply to young drivers.
Member states are required to check the fitness to drive of individuals both when issuing and renewing the license. When renewing, countries can require a medical examination; however, it is not mandatory. Both negotiating partners had already spoken out against this mandatory examination a year ago. Thus, such a decision continues to rest with the individual EU states.
Need for harmonization and modernization
“It was time for this driving license directive to be updated. The old one was over 20 years old, and quite a few issues had piled up,” said Jutta Paulus (Greens), the rapporteur of the EU Parliament, in an online press briefing on Tuesday. There was a need for harmonization and modernization. This was successful: “We have simplified a lot.” The driving license, for example, can now be issued digitally; this is “especially beneficial for the younger generation, who have everything on their smartphone.” However, license holders can still apply for a physical ID.
The requirement for medical bodies to report the driving aptitude of drivers to licensing authorities (dissemination of medical data) has, according to the agreement, been removed. However, EU states are allowed to introduce these nationally. The eyesight check is mandatory upon issuing the license but remains optional upon renewal. With the reform, the EU is introducing a two-year probation period for the first time EU-wide. Stricter penalties threaten during this probation period in cases of alcohol or drug influence: For the first time, a blood alcohol level of 0.0 percent is to apply in all EU countries.
To counter the shortage of professional drivers, the minimum age for obtaining a truck driver’s license is lowered from 21 to 18 years and for a bus driver’s license from 24 to 21 years, provided the applicant holds a certificate of professional competence. EU countries are only allowed to permit 17-year-olds to drive a truck or transporter on their territory in the company of an experienced driver. The European Parliament and the council of EU states must now finally approve the legislative change. It then comes into effect after a period following its publication in the EU Official Journal.
Reactions from Austria overwhelmingly positive
“We were able to enforce, after difficult and long negotiations, that there are no unnecessary new regulations and harassment for obtaining and retaining the driving license. Finally, it has been possible to prevent other factions from enforcing mandatory health checks for all driving license holders, which could also have led to the revocation of the license,” commented Sophia Kircher, transport spokeswoman for the ÖVP in the European Parliament and vice-chair of the transport committee.
Senior citizens’ association president Ingrid Korosec is also pleased with this decision according to the release: “The fight was worth it. This is a great success against the discrimination of senior citizens. It is an important sign against age discrimination. Driving ability is a question of individual health condition, not age.”
ÖAMTC lawyer Ursula Zelenka describes the raising of weight limits for Class B licenses as a “milestone”: “For voluntary services such as rescue services, it is a great relief that it is now possible under certain conditions to drive vehicles up to five tons and heavy trailers without a truck license.” Despite all positive results, the ÖAMTC expert also sees a downside: “Unfortunately, no unified license class for agricultural vehicles was created.” (28.03.25)