EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 30.9.2025
COM(2025) 626 final
2023/0055(COD)
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
concerning the
position of the Council on the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on certain driving disqualifications
(Text with EEA relevance)
2023/0055 (COD)
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
concerning the
position of the Council on the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on certain driving disqualifications
(Text with EEA relevance)
1.Background
|
Date of transmission of the proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council
|
1 March 2023. |
|
Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee: |
14 June 2023. |
|
Date of the position of the European Parliament, first reading: |
6 February 2024. |
|
Date of transmission of the amended proposal: |
N/A. |
|
Date of adoption of the position of the Council: |
29 September 2025. |
2.Objective of the proposal from the Commission
The Commission proposal aims to improve road safety by addressing the relative impunity of non-resident drivers who commit serious road traffic offences. It introduces a system to make certain driving disqualifications resulting from serious offences effective throughout the Union, regardless of the Member State in which they occurred.
3.Comments on the position of the Council
The position of the Council as adopted at first reading fully reflects the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on 25 March 2025. The Commission accepts the overall agreement. The main points of this agreement are the following:
·While the Commission had proposed a stand-alone directive on the Union-wide effect of certain driving disqualifications, its provisions will be integrated into the revised Driving Licences Directive. Additionally, the concept of a “Union-wide” disqualification is replaced by a mechanism that, in practice, relies on the principle of mutual recognition. These changes are expected to produce the same effects as the Commission’s initial proposal.
·The offences in the scope are as proposed by the Commission, covering driving disqualifications resulting from the most serious road traffic offences, such as excessive speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and causing death or serious bodily injury as a result of a traffic offence. A new recital will clarify that driving disqualifications imposed due to the accumulation or loss of penalty points are not covered by the Directive.
·Only disqualifications lasting longer than three months will fall within the scope of the directive.
·As proposed by the Commission, the Member State that issued the driving licence may decide not to implement a driving disqualification when it is solely based on a speeding offence of less than 50 km/h.
·When carrying out the procedural steps under the Directive, Member States authorities should act “without delay” or “without undue delay”, but are not bound by strict deadlines. The sole exception is that the Member State that issued the driving licence should, “to the extent possible,” notify the offender within 20 working days of receiving the disqualification notification from the Member State where the offence was committed.
·The Member State that issued the driving licence may apply additional road safety measures beyond those provided for in the disqualification.
·Five years after the entry into force of the directive, and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall assess the possibility of extending its application to driving disqualifications resulting from additional traffic offences as well as options to further improve the EU driving licence network with a view to reducing administrative burden and optimising the notification process.
4.Conclusion
The Commission accepts the results of the inter-institutional negotiations and can therefore accept the Council's position at first reading.