A provisional agreement has been reached between negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council concerning new regulations for driving licences across the European Union, aimed at improving road safety and enforcing penalties more uniformly among member states.

The agreement addresses a significant gap where traffic offences committed in one EU member state were previously enforceable only within that state, leaving many penalties unenforced across borders.

Under the newly proposed provisions, any withdrawal, suspension, or restriction of a driving licence will be enforced by the country that issued it, ensuring that penalties are applicable throughout the EU. The regulations mandate the reporting of driving disqualifications linked to serious traffic offences, including drink and drug driving, fatal accidents, and excessive speeding.

Each member state is now required to promptly inform other states of such decisions regarding disqualifications.

To enhance transparency and prompt communication, a deadline of 20 working days has been established for notifying affected drivers about their penalties and the processes available for appealing these decisions.

Additionally, the European Commission has committed to evaluating the effectiveness of these new rules five years after their implementation.

This evaluation will take into account the potential expansion of driving offences that could incur EU-wide penalties and the possibility of tightening deadlines for information exchanges between member states.

In conjunction with these developments, the European Parliament recently published its Winter 2025 Eurobarometer survey results, which indicated that a substantial majority of EU citizens—66%—support a stronger EU role in handling security and global crises.

Furthermore, approval ratings for EU membership have reached historic highs, with 74% of respondents indicating that their countries have benefited from being part of the EU. Key challenges identified by citizens include economic stability, inflation, and security concerns.

Moreover, the new directive regarding driving licences will introduce a digital driving licence format alongside a two-year probation period for novice drivers.

European Parliament members successfully pushed for the inclusion of practical safety training within the licensing process, focusing specifically on vulnerable road users and safe driving practices in challenging conditions.

The directive also includes provisions to lower the minimum age for obtaining professional driving licences for trucks and buses, alongside measures allowing accompanied driving for younger drivers.

These initiatives are part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing fatalities on EU roads, which is in alignment with the EU's Vision Zero strategy for road safety.

The agreements reached will require final approval from both the Council and the Parliament before implementation.