10.9.2003   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 226/4

(1)

Article 5(1), (2) and (4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 (4) provides that certain drivers engaged in the carriage of goods or passengers by road must, depending on their age, on the category of vehicle used and on the distance to be travelled, hold a certificate of professional competence in conformity with Community rules on the minimum level of training for some road transport drivers. That minimum level is determined by Directive 76/914/EEC (5).

(2)

Given that the provisions of Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 apply to a very small percentage of drivers and that currently the compulsory training of drivers is only required by a few Member States, the majority of drivers now driving on Community territory are carrying out their profession solely on the basis of a driving licence.

(3)

To enable drivers to meet the new demands arising from the development of the road transport market, Community rules should be made applicable to all drivers, whether they drive as self-employed or salaried workers, and whether on own account or for hire or reward.

(4)

The establishment of new Community rules is aimed at ensuring that, by means of his or her qualification, the driver is of a standard to have access to and carry out the activity of driving.

(5)

More particularly, the obligation to hold an initial qualification and to undergo periodic training is intended to improve road safety and the safety of the driver, including during operations carried out by the driver while the vehicle is stopped. Furthermore, the modern nature of the profession of driver should arouse young people's interest in the profession, contributing to the recruitment of new drivers at a time of shortage.

(6)

To avoid unequal conditions of competition, this Directive should apply to the activity of driving both by the nationals of a Member State and by nationals of third countries who are employed or used by an undertaking established in a Member State.

(7)

In order to establish that the driver complies with his or her obligations, Member States should issue the driver with a certificate of professional competence, hereinafter referred to as ‘CPC’, certifying his or her initial qualification or periodic training.

(8)

Given the differences between current systems in certain Member States, Member States should be able to choose between several options so as to facilitate the implementation of the provisions relating to the initial qualification.

(9)

In order to maintain their qualification of driver, existing drivers should be obliged to undergo periodic retraining in the skills essential for their profession.

(10)

The minimum requirements to be met for the initial qualification and the periodic training concern the safety rules to be observed when driving and while the vehicle is stopped. The development of defensive driving — anticipating danger, making allowance for other road users — which goes hand in hand with rational fuel consumption, will have a positive impact both on society and on the road transport sector itself.

(11)

This Directive should not affect the rights acquired by a driver who has held the driving licence necessary to carry out the activity of driving since before the date laid down for obtaining a CPC certifying the corresponding initial qualification or the periodic training.

(12)

Only training centres which have been approved by the competent authorities of the Member States should be able to organise the training courses laid down for the initial qualification and the periodic training. To ensure the quality of these approved centres, the competent authorities should set harmonised criteria for their approval including that of a well-established high level of professionalism.

(13)

Not only the competent authorities of the Member States but also any entity designated by them should be responsible for organising the tests provided for in connection with the initial qualification and the periodic training. Given the importance of this Directive for road safety and for the equality of conditions of competition, the competent authorities of the Member States should supervise such tests.

(14)

Member States should prescribe that the first session of periodic training is to be completed and should issue the corresponding CPC, within the five years following either the date of issue of the CPC certifying the initial qualification or the expiry date of the time limit set for certain drivers to claim their acquired rights. It should also be possible for these time limits to be shortened or extended. Following the first periodic training, the driver should undergo periodic training every five years.

(15)

To certify that a driver who is a national of a Member State is the holder of one of the CPCs provided for by this Directive, and to facilitate mutual recognition of the various CPCs, Member States should affix the harmonised Community code laid down for that purpose, together with the code's expiry date, either to the driving licence or to the new driver qualification card, to be mutually recognised by Member States, the harmonised model of which is laid down by this Directive. This card should meet the same security requirements as the driving licence, given the importance of the rights which it confers for road safety and the equality of conditions of competition. The possibility afforded to Member States to affix the Community code on the new card should enable them to lay down a period of validity for driving licences which does not coincide with the date of expiry of the validity of periodic training, given that Directive 91/439/EEC (6) provides that each Member State is to retain the right to determine, on the basis of national criteria, the period of validity of the driving licences which it issues.

(16)

Annexes I and Ia to Directive 91/439/EEC should be amended so as to add to the list of harmonised codes and sub-codes set out in those Annexes the new Community code determining the date until which a driver fulfils the professional skills requirement, whether this is an initial qualification or periodic training.

(17)

Special certification provisions should be laid down for drivers covered by this Directive who are nationals of third countries.

(18)

The Commission should monitor the implementation of this Directive, particularly given the different initial qualification systems which it lays down, and should submit a report on this subject to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

(19)

Given the significant number of drivers covered by this Directive, the provisions relating to the initial qualification should be applied in two stages, depending on whether the carriage of passengers or the carriage of goods is involved. The phased application of this Directive as regards the initial qualification for drivers of vehicles engaged in the carriage of goods and passengers should also make it possible for periodic training to be established in a phased manner.

(20)

The measures necessary to implement this Directive should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (7).

(21)

To take account of the application on two different dates of the provisions relating to the initial qualification, the relevant provisions of Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 as well as Directive 76/914/EEC should be repealed.

(22)

However, it is desirable, in order to respect the principles of Community law, that drivers of vehicles used to carry out transport where this is considered to have a lesser impact on road safety or where the requirements of this Directive would impose a disproportionate economic or social burden, should be exempted from the application of this Directive.

(23)

Since the objective of the proposed action, namely the establishment of a Community-wide standard for initial qualification and periodic training, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by reason of the scale and the effects of the proposed action, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality as set out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective,

(a)

nationals of a Member State; and

(b)

nationals of third countries who are employed or used by an undertaking established in a Member State;

—

vehicles for which a driving licence of category C1, C1+E, C or C+E, as defined in Directive 91/439/EEC, or a driving licence recognised as equivalent, is required,

—

vehicles for which a driving licence of category D1, D1+E, D or D+E, as defined in Directive 91/439/EEC, or a driving licence recognised as equivalent, is required.

(a)

vehicles with a maximum authorised speed not exceeding 45 km/h;

(b)

vehicles used by, or under the control of, the armed forces, civil defence, the fire service and forces responsible for maintaining public order;

(c)

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, or of new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service;

(d)

vehicles used in states of emergency or assigned to rescue missions;

(e)

vehicles used in the course of driving lessons for any person wishing to obtain a driving licence or a CPC, as provided for in Article 6 and Article 8(1);

(f)

vehicles used for non-commercial carriage of passengers or goods, for personal use;

(g)

vehicles carrying material or equipment to be used by the driver in the course of his or her work, provided that driving the vehicle is not the driver's principal activity.

(a)

a system of initial qualification

(b)

a system of periodic training

In accordance with section 4 of Annex I, periodic training involves compulsory course attendance. It shall be certified by a CPC as provided for in Article 8(1).

(a)

drivers who hold a category D1, D1+E, D or D+E licence, or a licence recognised as equivalent, issued no later than two years after the final date for the transposition of this Directive;

(b)

drivers who hold a category C1, C1+E, C or C+E licence, or a licence recognised as equivalent, issued no later than three years after the final date for the transposition of this Directive.

(a)

from the age of 18:

(b)

from the age of 21, a vehicle in licence categories C and C+E, provided they hold a CPC as referred to in Article 6(2).

(a)

from the age of 21:

(b)

from the age of 23, a vehicle in licence categories D and D+E, provided they hold a CPC as referred to in Article 6(2).

(a)

CPC awarded on the basis of course attendance and a test

In accordance with Article 3(1)(a)(i), Member States shall require trainee drivers to attend courses in a training centre approved by the competent authorities in accordance with section 5 of Annex I, hereinafter referred to as ‘approved training centre’. These courses shall cover all the subjects referred to in section 1 of Annex I. This training shall conclude with successful completion of the test provided for in section 2(2.1) of Annex I. That test shall be organised by the Member States' competent authorities or an entity designated by them and shall serve to check whether, for the aforementioned subjects, the trainee driver has the level of knowledge required in section 1 of Annex I. The said authorities or entities shall supervise the test and, upon successful completion, issue the drivers with a CPC certifying an initial qualification.

(b)

CPC awarded on the basis of tests

In accordance with Article 3(1)(a)(ii), Member States shall require trainee drivers to pass the theoretical and practical tests referred to in section 2(2.2) of Annex I. These tests shall be organised by the Member States' competent authorities or an entity designated by them and shall serve to check whether, for all the aforementioned subjects, the trainee driver has the level of knowledge required in section 1 of Annex I. The said authorities or entities shall supervise the tests and, upon successful completion, issue the drivers with a CPC certifying an initial qualification.

In accordance with Article 3(2), Member States shall require trainee drivers to attend courses in an approved training centre. These courses shall cover all the subjects referred to in section 1 of Annex I.

This training shall conclude with the test provided for in section 3 of Annex I. That test shall be organised by the Member States' competent authorities or an entity designated by them and shall serve to check whether, for the aforementioned subjects, the trainee driver has the level of knowledge required in section 1 of Annex I. The said authorities or entities shall supervise the test and, upon successful completion, issue the drivers with a CPC certifying an accelerated initial qualification.

(a)

holders of a CPC as referred to in Article 6, within five years of the issue of that CPC;

(b)

the drivers referred to in Article 4, within five years of the respective dates referred to in Article 14(2), in accordance with a timetable decided on by the Member States.

—

either on the driving licence,

—

or on the driver qualification card drawn up in accordance with the model shown in Annex II.

3.

—

from 10 September 2008 as regards the initial qualification required to drive vehicles in licence categories D1, D1+E, D and D+E;

—

from 10 September 2009 as regards the initial qualification required to drive vehicles in licence categories C1, C1+E, C and C+E.

(a)

paragraph 1 shall be repealed with effect from 10 September 2009.

(b)

paragraphs 2 and 4 shall be repealed with effect from 10 September 2008.

—

from 10 September 2008 to drivers of vehicles for the carriage of passengers by road,

—

from 10 September 2009 to drivers of vehicles for the carriage of goods by road.