There is a lot of criticism of the EU plans for stricter requirements for drivers over 70 – including from Federal Transport Minister Wissing. Brussels is now making it clear: measures such as compulsory examinations are the responsibility of the member states.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing does not want compulsory fitness tests for drivers over the age of 70 – as proposed by the EU Commission for the individual member states. Brussels is now trying to clarify: “Let me be clear, the EU Commission has not proposed any mandatory health tests for the renewal of driving licenses,” says its chief spokesman Eric Mamer.
What does Brussels want to change?
The Brussels authority proposed new traffic regulations in March. With regard to older drivers, the commission emphasizes that age in itself does not pose a safety risk when driving. Nevertheless, driving licenses should have to be renewed at least more frequently from the age of 70, namely every five years.
The commission also said about the planned requirements for seniors: “Whenever a driver’s license needs to be renewed – and this applies to all drivers regardless of age – then they should provide a self-disclosure or undergo a medical examination. But only if it is up to the member state to decide.”
Member countries that have already made this decision include Finland, which requires a mandatory medical test for drivers over 70, and Portugal, where this is already required from the age of 60. The proposal is now causing little stir in both countries.
Only Greens want stricter rules
FDP MEP Jan Christoph Oetjen says that since such tests already exist in various EU member states, there is support for the EU Commission’s proposal from both individual member states and members of parliament. “However, we free democrats expect that in the end there will be an option for the member states as to how they organize things.”
It is an option that the proposal explicitly includes. Only in accordance with the wishes of the Green rapporteur in the EU Parliament, Karima Delli, should this be made even stricter. She had advocated that driving licenses for people aged 60 and over should remain valid at ever shorter intervals – and should depend on a medical examination. There was strong criticism of this in the responsible transport committee. Which suggests that the proposal is not capable of gaining a majority anyway.
Criticism also of demands Self-disclosures
It is now important “that the criticism from the other factions is not just lip service”, said CDU MEP Jens Gieseke, deputy head of the Transport Committee, who is also critical of the demand for self-disclosure from older drivers.
Today we don’t even know a lot of the details and we don’t know which health tests follow the self-disclosure. “That’s why it’s clear to us in the EPP: we will not support mandatory medical examinations,” said Gieseke. “Decisions about fitness to drive should remain the responsibility of the member states.”
New regulations by next summer?
The Transport Committee wants to determine its position on the new regulations in December. The plenary session could vote on it in February. Even if the EU countries have decided on their position in time, the final negotiations between Parliament and the countries could begin in the spring and could be completed before the European elections in June.
The Bundestag would then have to initiate the directive. There is then an opportunity for the traffic light parties to use the leeway that the law offers them.