To improve road safety and support the digital transition, MEPs debate on Tuesday and vote on Wednesday on updating driving licence rules, introducing mobile licences and mandatory health checks for drivers. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

ŠUICA, Dubravka (EPP, HR, EC)

DELLI, Karima (Greens/EFA, FR)

ŁUKACIJEWSKA, Elżbieta Katarzyna (EPP, PL)

RIQUET, Dominique (Renew, FR)

car safety (T)

DEPARNAY-GRUNENBERG, Anna (Greens/EFA, DE)

road safety (T)

VARIATI, Achille (S&D, IT)

Directive on Driving Licenses: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens, FR), Rapporteur, In the European Parliament, we have agreed a roadmap, which is binding and clear. Zero deaths and zero seriously injured on our roads by 2050.

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens, FR), Rapporteur, And we are putting forward the idea of these tests that will take place throughout people's lifetimes. Many of us have done this way before because there are 14 Member States, a majority, that have already adopted.

SOUNDBITE (French), Karima DELLI (Greens, FR), Rapporteur, I've received a number of messages. Here are some. Pauline is with us here today. Became paraplegic after being hit by a 90-year-old driver. Pauline has converted her misfortune into struggle to make successful legislation in this area. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, Vice-President of the European Commission, And I'd like to thank you for your support on the probationary period for novice drivers, the European Union digital driving license, the new system for the exchange of third country driving licenses, and the easing of language requirements for driving license applicants living in Member States other than their own. Each of these measures is key to ensuring that the fourth Driving License Directive achieves its goal: greater road safety and facilitation of the free movement within European Union.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Elżbieta Katarzyna ŁUKACIJEWSKA (EPP, PL), But as a group, we cannot accept obligatory medical controls. Especially if this would be exclusively down to age and not objective health issues. And if this is the only way to see whether somebody is fit to drive or not. Very obviously we support the recognition of different systems in the EU, in the Member States, that work and are efficient. Having a penalty point system across Europe. We need to respect subsidiarity.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Achille VARIATI (S&D, IT), We know that the most controversial issue is mandatory medical checkups. I think that this is vital if we're going to have high road safety. A physical state of fitness of a driver will be assessed by a professional. I know that in some Member States, this doesn't take place and that medical checkups are replaced with self-assessment or self-certification. But I think that the precautionary principle is something that we should apply as lawmakers.

SOUNDBITE (French), Dominique RIQUET (Renew, FR), Revision of the directive on driving licenses. This task contains a controversial but necessary measure, which I want to say more about the introduction of a compulsory medical examination every 15 years at the time of renewal of the license, in order to test the physical and mental conditions of drivers. This regular examination has already been introduced in several countries. It is not intended to penalize drivers, but rather to protect us all using public areas. It's not an attack on the driving license. After all, how can we justify the idea that our vehicles have to undergo regular tests, whereas the drivers no.

SOUNDBITE (German), Anna DEPARNAY-GRUNENBERG (Greens, DE), We've taken best practice from different Member States and are now partially making this applicable across Europe. In Germany, for example, a company driving, qhich is something that I'm allowed to do with my children, contributes to the fact that novice drivers learn how to drive better. In Spain, the health checks that inform us to, when you renewing your driving license is something that is improving safety and security. And we will like to see this every 15 years.