Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

AddedArticle 14 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new): (ea) in the case of a vehicle category C and C1, has undergone a dedicated 7-hour training course to learn the necessary professional and pedagogical skills, as part of their periodic CPC training.

AddedArticle 14 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 (new): Member States may decide to increase the duration of the training up to 14-hours.

AddedArticle 14 – paragraph 3 a (new): 3a. The accompanied driving scheme does not restrict Member States’ existing options to lower the minimum age for category B as set in Article 7 paragraph 2 in this Directive and to apply related conditions at national level.

AddedArticle 14 – paragraph 4 a (new): 4a. Member States may reduce the age set out in paragraph 1 to persons having their normal residence in their territory in order to run pilot projects and collect data on the effect of accompanied driving schemes with a lower age as a part of applicant’s training until he or she reaches 3500 km. If a Member State wishes to make use of that option, it shall submit a reasoned request to the Commission. The Commission shall assess such request through a dialogue with the Member State concerned and render a decision within 3 months. The Commission may approve or deny the request by submitting a reasoned opinion, or approve it upon additional conditions in order to ensure road safety. The provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 shall remain applicable, where a derogation is granted by the Commission. Member States shall monitor results of the approved pilot projects and report them to the Commission. The Commission shall assess the requests and, when available, the results of the approved pilot projects in its periodic reviews.

AddedArticle 15 – paragraph 1: 1. The holder of a driving licence of a given category issued for the first time shall be considered a novice driver and shall be subject to a probationary period of at least two years. Member States shall lay down rules on the length of the period and the penalties for novice drivers.

AddedArticle 15 – paragraph 2: 2. Member States shall lay down rules on penalties for novice drivers who drive with a blood alcohol level exceeding 0.2g /mL or under the influence of psychotropic substances or narcotics. The enforcement authorities of Member States shall establish a technical zero tolerance measuring threshold on the basis of the lowest limit of quantification that takes account of passive or accidental exposure and take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. Those penalties shall be effective, proportionate, dissuasive and non-discriminatory, and may include driving disqualifications.

AddedArticle 15 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. Member States shall lay down stricter rules on penalties for novice drivers, including where they fail to use safety equipment or drive without a valid driving licence, and take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. Those penalties shall be effective, proportionate, dissuasive and non-discriminatory.

AddedArticle 15 – paragraph 3: 3. Member States may establish additional rules applicable on their territory to novice drivers during the probationary period to improve road safety. They shall inform the Commission thereof. Those rules shall not limit night-time driving.

AddedArticle 15 – paragraph 5 a (new): 5a. For drivers obtaining a new category during their probationary period for a previously issued licence category, the probationary period for the new category may be reduced taking into account already completed probationary period, subject to a minimum of 6 months. Such a reduction shall not apply if the existing driving licence is issued for category AM only.

AddedArticle 15 – paragraph 5 b (new): 5b. Member States are encouraged to include age-appropriate training on road safety rules and traffic risk awareness trainings as part of their elementary and secondary school curricula. Member States may use revenues earmarked under [Directive 2015/413 of the European Parliament and of the Council1a] to financially support such initiatives. The Commission may use the resources indicated in [Article 8a of that Directive] also to financially support such initiatives. / 1a Directive (EU) 2015/413 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road-safety-related traffic offences (OJ L 68, 13.3.2015, p. 9).

AddedArticle 16 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2: Driving examiners already working in that capacity before the entry into force of this Directive shall be subject only to the requirements concerning quality assurance and regular periodic training measures.

AddedArticle 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1: For the purposes of this Directive, normal residence shall be the place where a person usually lives, that is for at least 185 days in each calendar year, because of personal or occupational ties and, in the case of a person with no occupational ties, because of personal ties which show close links between that person and the place where he or she is living.

AddedArticle 17 – paragraph 4: 4. By way of derogation from Article 10(1), point (e) and for the specific purpose of the first issuance of a driving licence, an applicant whose Member State of normal residence is different from his or her Member State of citizenship may have his or her driving licence issued by the latter, where the Member State of normal residence does not provide for the possibility to pass the theoretical or practical tests in one of the official EU languages of the Member State of citizenship or with an interpreter.

AddedArticle 18 – paragraph 1: 1. Member States shall apply the equivalences established by Commission Decision (EU) 2016/194564 between entitlements obtained before entry into force of this Directive and the categories set out in Article 6 of this Directive.

AddedArticle 18 – paragraph 2: 2. Any entitlement to drive granted before entry into force of this Directive shall not be removed or in any way qualified by the provisions of this Directive.

AddedArticle 19 – paragraph 2 – point c: (c) to prevent, detect and investigate road traffic-related criminal offences in accordance with [REFERENCE TO PRÜM II], provided all necessary conditions therein for that purpose apply and with due observance of the principles of purpose limitation, necessity and proportionality;

AddedArticle 20 – paragraph 1: Member States shall inform the Commission on a yearly basis about the number of driving licences issued, renewed, replaced, withdrawn and exchanged, for each category, including data on the issuance and use of mobile driving licences. Member States shall also inform the Commission within 3 months if the laws, regulations and administrative provisions they adopted, which are necessary to comply with this Directive, are changed in a way affecting the application of the provisions of this Directive.

AddedArticle 20 – paragraph 1 a (new): Member States shall also share data on their best practices as regards road safety measures and risk awareness trainings, especially as regards novice drivers and within the lifelong training, on types of medical fitness checks per age group, use of support system per age group through feedback interventions with proof of participation and recommendations provided by a driving instructor, traffic psychologist or driving examiner as well as measures to increase road safety measures among vulnerable road users, including measures regulating micro mobility.

AddedArticle 20 – paragraph 1 1 b (new): Member States shall annually report to the Commission statistics on road accidents per driving licence category, caused by novice drivers under accompanied driving scheme as defined by Article 14. Every 3 years, the Commission is invited to prepare a report comparing the road accidents caused by drivers who obtained a driving licence following accompanied driving scheme with the other drivers. The report shall take into account data per each category of driving licence. The Commission shall make the report publically available, including through the CBE portal as established by the [CBE directive].

AddedArticle 21 – paragraph 2: 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 4(8), Article 5(6), Article 8(2), Article 9(2)(new), Article 10(8), Article 11(a)(new), Article 12(8a)(new) and Article 16(2), Article 16a(2)(new) shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from [Date of entry into force of the Directive]. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power no later than nine months before the end of the five-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension no later than three months before the end of each period.

AddedDirective (EU) 2022/2561

AddedArticle 23 – paragraph 1, Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c: (c) from the age of 17, a vehicle in licence categories C and C1, provided they hold a CPC as referred to in Article 6(1) and only under the conditions laid down in Article 14(2) of Directive [REFERENCE-TO-THIS-DIRECTIVE];’

AddedDirective (EU) 2022/2561

AddedArticle 23 – paragraph 1 a (new), Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point a: In Article 5, paragraph 3, point a is replaced by following: / ‘(a) from the age of 21: / (i) a vehicle in driving licence categories D and D + E and a vehicle in driving licence categories D1 and D1 + E provided that they hold a CPC as referred to in Article 6(2). / Any Member State may authorise drivers of vehicles in one of those categories to drive such vehicles within its territory from the age of 18, provided that they hold a CPC as referred to in Article 6(1). / (ii) deleted / Any Member State may lower the minimum age for categories D and DE for professional bus and coach drivers to: / - 19 years on their territory, provided that drivers have undergone a full professional training and are holders of CPC in accordance with Article 6(1), of Directive (EU) 2022/2561; / - 18 years on their territory, provided that drivers have undergone a full professional training and are holders of CPC in accordance with Article 6(1), of Directive (EU) 2022/2561, and drive such vehicles without passengers.’

AddedAnnex I – Part A1 – point 2-side 2: Please insert a new line with a code T and a pictogram of tractor in column 9.

AddedAnnex I – Part B1 – point 4 – point 3 – paragraph 2 – point e: (e) deleted

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – indent 2 a (new): – impacts on the risk of distraction due to the use of GSM or other electronic devices while driving and safety consequences;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point c – indent 1: – the most important principles concerning the observance of a safe distance between vehicles, braking distances and road holding under various weather and road conditions, including in particular snow and slippery conditions;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point d – indent 1: – specific risk factors related to the lack of experience of other road users, especially on vulnerable road users that enjoy a lesser degree of protection in traffic compared to users of motor vehicles such as cars, buses and lorries and who are directly exposed to the forces of collisions. This category includes children, pedestrians, cyclists, users of powered two-wheel vehicles, users of personal mobility devices and persons with disabilities or reduced mobility and orientation.

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point d – indent 2: – risks involved in the movement, interaction with and driving of various types of vehicles due to different scale and driving dynamics and to the different fields of view of their drivers;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point d – indent 2 a (new): – blind spots and gradient changes;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point d – indent 2 b (new): – proper and timely use of direction indicators;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point e – indent 2 a (new): – rules on how to behave if an emergency vehicle is approaching and what to do at the site of a collision;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point e – indent 4: – knowledge safety aspects related to alternatively fuelled vehicles and/or with battery, especially risks of flashover/conflagration or chemical reaction in case of accident or breakdown;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point f: (f) precautions necessary when alighting from the vehicle, including ensuring that it is safe to open the vehicle door and that this will not create a hazard for other road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and micro-mobility users;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point i: (i) rules and aspects regarding vehicle use in relation to the environment, including as regards electrical vehicles: appropriate use of audible warning devices, moderate fuel/energy consumption, limitation of emissions (greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutants, noise and microplastics from tyre, brake and road wear etc.).

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new): (ia) basic knowledge on how to use first aid equipment and being capable to provide first aid, including CPR; / Member States may alternatively enable the option that a previously completed certified first aid practical training, which shall include CPR, allows for an exemption of the first aid-related content of the theory test;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point i b (new): (ib) safe interaction with advanced driver assistance systems functions and other automation features, including their associated advantages, limitations and risks;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point i c (new): (ic) basic regulatory framework on urban vehicle access restrictions, including low emission zones;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – introductory part: 4. Specific provisions concerning categories C, CE, C1, C1E, D, DE, D1, D1E and T

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – point 1 – point d: (d) how to behave in the event of an accident; knowledge of measures to be taken after an accident or similar occurrence, including emergency action such as evacuation of passengers and basic knowledge of first aid, including CPR;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – point 1 – point f a (new): (fa) purpose and use of retarders/exhaust and brakes;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – point 1 – point g: (g) obstruction of the field of view caused by the characteristics of their vehicles, particularly regarding pedestrians at the front of the vehicle and cyclists at the side and front of the vehicle;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – point 1 – point h a (new): (ha) defensive and eco-driving: distance to the vehicle in front; curve overtaking, change of lane, priority rules, speed limits;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – point 1 – point i: (i) safety factors relating to vehicle loading: controlling the load (stowing and fastening), difficulties with different kinds of load (for instance liquids, hanging loads, …), loading and unloading goods and the use of loading equipment (categories C, CE, C1, C1E, T only)

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – point 1 – point i a (new): (ia) safety measures, procedures and protocols regarding safe parking areas;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point A – point 4 – point 1 – point j: (j) the driver's responsibility in respect to the carriage of passengers; comfort and safety of passengers, and in particular persons with disabilities and reduced mobility, as well as appropriate response in the event of gender-based harassment and violence; transport of children; necessary checks before driving away; all sorts of buses shall be part of the theory test (public service buses and coaches, buses with special dimensions, …) (categories D, DE, D1, D1E only).

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 1 – point c – paragraph 1: The Union code marked on a driving licence of category A1, A2, A, B1, B and BE issued on the basis of a test of skills and behaviour taken on a vehicle with automatic transmission shall not be imposed displayed or shall be removed if the holder passes a dedicated test of skills and behaviour or completes a dedicated training, which may occur before or after the test of skills and behaviour on a vehicle with automatic transmission.

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 1 – point c – paragraph 2 – point i: (i) approve and supervise the dedicated training, including as part of the general driver training; or,

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 1 – point d – paragraph 1: Specific provisions concerning vehicles of category BE, C, CE, C1, C1E, D, DE, D1 and D1E and T

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 2 – point g – paragraph 1: A category C vehicle with a maximum authorised mass of at least 12 000 kg, a length of at least 8 m, a width of at least 2,40 m and capable of a speed of at least 80 km/h; fitted with anti-lock brakes, equipped with recording equipment as defined by Regulation (EU) No 165/2014; the vehicle shall be presented with a minimum of 10 000 kg real total mass;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 2 – point h – paragraph 1: Either an articulated vehicle or a combination of a category C test vehicle and a trailer of at least 7,5 m in length; both the articulated vehicle and the combination shall have a maximum authorised mass of at least 20 000 kg, a length of at least 14 m and a width of at least 2,40 m, shall be capable of a speed of at least 80 km/h, fitted with anti-lock brakes, fitted with a fifth wheel, equipped with a gearbox having at least eight forward ratios and recording equipment as defined by Regulation (EU) No 165/2014; both the articulated vehicle and the combination shall be presented with a minimum of 15 000 kg real total mass;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 2 – point i – paragraph 1: A subcategory C1 vehicle with a maximum authorised mass of at least 4 000 kg, with a length of at least 5 m and capable of a speed of at least 80 km/h; fitted with anti-lock brakes and equipped with recording equipment as defined by Regulation (EU) No 165/2014;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 2 – point j – paragraph 1: A combination made up of a subcategory C1 test vehicle and a trailer with a maximum authorised mass of at least 1 250 kg; this combination shall be at least 8 m in length and capable of a speed of at least 80 km/h; the trailer shall be presented with a minimum of 800 kg real total mass;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 2 – point l – paragraph 1: A combination made up of a category D test vehicle and a trailer with a maximum authorised mass of at least 1 250 kg, a width of at least 2,40 m and capable of a speed of at least 80 km/h; the trailer shall be presented with a minimum of 800 kg real total mass;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 5 – point 2 – point n a (new): (na) Category T / Vehicle combinations consisting of a Class T tractor and a trailer: / (a) the maximum speed of the tractor determined by the design is more than 40 km/h, / (b) maximum speed of the vehicle combination more than 40 km/h, / (c) dual-line brake system, / (d) trailer with at least a closed loading area (chassis without a closed floor not permitted), / (e) length of the trailer when using a rigid drawbar trailer at least 4.5 m and / (f) length of the vehicle combination at least 7.5 m.

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 6 – point 3 – paragraph 1 – point e: (e) changing direction: left and right turns; changing lanes, making a U turn;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 6 – point 3 – paragraph 1 – point g: (g) overtaking/passing: overtaking other traffic including cyclists, micro-mobility users, pedestrians; riding alongside obstacles, for instance parked cars; being overtaken by other traffic (if appropriate);

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 6 – point 3 – paragraph 1 – point h: (h) special road features (if available): roundabouts; railway level crossings, bike lanes; tram/bus stops; pedestrian crossings; riding up-/downhill on long slopes; tunnels;

AddedAnnex II – Part I – point B – point 6 – point 3 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new): (ha) interaction with other vehicles, including foreseeing blind spots and adequate use of direction indicators;