To improve road safety and support the digital transition, MEPs will debate on Tuesday and vote on Wednesday on updating driving licence rules, introducing mobile licences and mandatory health checks for drivers. A press conference with the rapporteur will take place at 14.30 after the vote. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Strasbourg

press conference

DELLI, Karima (Greens/EFA, FR)

car safety (T)

road safety (T)

Press conference by Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), rapporteur on The review of EU driving license rules

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/75029734/1708934674407_I253515Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Rapporteur, Good afternoon, so the votes have taken place. What I can say is that the report that I presented has been adopted and in this report there is something that's very new in that we have ushered in medical check ups into European legislation that the European mindset also, because there's been much talk of it today.

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Rapporteur, And that we have ushered in medical check ups into European legislation that the European mindset also, because there's been much talk of it today.

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Rapporteur, The report, I think, testifies to the commitment on the part of all member states to ensure that road safety become a priority. We're not talking about empty words, but road safety has to become a reality. There are 14 countries with a medical check ups already, so this vote is an appeal to those countries that haven't yet this possibility in France, for example. There's a majority of elected representatives in support of this proposal. So I would invite the French authorities to take up this proposal and act on it swiftly because there is a will to do that.

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Rapporteur, On other subjects of which there's been much talk in the report. There's no loss of license, tractors in respect to farmers when it comes to young people and novices. Tolerance in terms of alcohol would be 0.2. And positive clear identification on the roads.

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Rapporteur, But I think the battle amid respects has just begun because we're now going to have to negotiate with the council. That's the level at which member states meet, and we will have to convince all member states of the objectives to be reached to reduce by 50% by 2030 the number of dead and wounded on our roads, but in particular zero deaths and zero wounded on our roads by 2050. I'd like to thank you for your presence, but without wasting any further time, I'll give the floor to Pauline Deroulède.

SOUNDBITE (French), Pauline DEROULEDE, French Paralympic wheelchair tennis player and vocal road-safety activist, Good afternoon, all. Thank you very much indeed for being here. And thank you for continuing to talk about medical check ups for all road users. This is something a battle that I've been waging in France for the last five years.

SOUNDBITE (French), Pauline DEROULEDE, French Paralympic wheelchair tennis player and vocal road-safety activist, I've been working alongside Karima to educate, if I could put it that way, to educate Europe at this regard. And I've realized a number of things in the process. The context of European elections round the corner was not really in our favor. I note also that a certain number of members haven't honored their commitments. It's regrettable, but as Karima has said, I think the majority of French and European members are in favor of inviting France to introduce medical checkups, health checkups.

SOUNDBITE (French), Pauline DEROULEDE, French Paralympic wheelchair tennis player and vocal road-safety activist, That, I think, is a first victory. And my thoughts go out to all victims or all the French who are in favor of such an introduction of health checks or medical checkups. But in that regard, I think the battle continues. We have to work together with the French authorities when it comes to modalities surrounding the introduction of medical checkups in France. But I have every hope that we will do it. I have an unshakable faith in our ability to achieve that. Thank you.

Q&A, Question about if the medical checkups would be compulsory or if it would be a voluntary measure in member States.

Q&A, Question about the feeling of the rapporteur on the Green colleagues from Germany that didn't support the call for mandatory health checks?

Q&A, More specifically, the text adopted today will now go to the council. So I think the margin for maneuvers fairly well short 15 days, and if there is no agreement in 15 days, it's over?

Q&amp;A, Question to clarify the position of the Parliament on the separate driving licenses for tractors, and to repeat if the medical checks are mandatory or up to the member states.

Q&A, Question about the provisions for pedestrians in the report.

Q&A, Question about the failure of the vote on the medical check.

Q&A, Question about the lesson and what to expect from the next elected Parliament.