The rules relating to driving licences are an essential element of the Common Transport Policy, they contribute to improving road safety and facilitate the free movement of persons within the European Union. By definition, these rules need to be consistent.
Significant progress has been made in this field as the result of the 2 earlier Driving Licence Directives, the first being that of 4th December 1980 followed by the Council Directive of 29th July 1991, amended on a number of occasions. This has meant that the administrative conditions of driving licence issuance, validity and renewal (model driving licence, categories, ages of eligibility, validity period, medical examination of driving licence candidates and drivers) have largely been harmonised.
Efforts have also been made to extend this harmonisation to the content of theoretical and practical tests, their minimum duration, the characteristics required of test centres and finally the assessment criteria used by examiners.
These provisions have also made it possible to introduce the principle of the mutual recognition, within the European Union, of all licences issued by Member States, thereby meeting the objective of promoting the free movement of persons and goods in complete safety.
Divergences still persist, however; this is why the 3rd Directive of the European Parliament and Council of 20th December 2006 goes further and requires enhanced harmonisation in order to contribute to the implementation of Community policies.
Among the measures imposed by Appendix 4 of this Directive, to be implemented as of 19th January 2013, are the obligation to introduce minimum standards concerning entry to the profession of examiner and the introduction of a quality assurance system; this is aimed at achieving a more objective assessment of driving test candidates and closer harmonisation of driving tests within the European Union.
These provisions on the quality assurance system have been made necessary by an important change in the examiner's role: assessment of the practical test taken by a candidate is now much more directed towards a real skills audit, rather than a simple list of errors. This change naturally requires that examiners possess confirmed technical skills but also human, pedagogical and interpersonal qualities as well.
With regard to this quality assurance, we need to gain a precise overview of the current situation within the European Union and to identify the provisions to be put in place by Member States as of 19th January 2013.
In this respect, it will be beneficial to draw lessons from best practice already happening and to convert these into recommendations, particularly concerning the audit that each Member State must conduct in order to guarantee that the assessment is implemented appropriately and consistently (Appendix 4, Paragraph 4, Sub-paragraph 4.1.5).
- Agenda
- Fee: The event is free-of-charge.
- Location: TÜV SÜD, Munich (see information for participants).
- Accommodation: Ibis München City West Hotel. If you decide to stay in this hotel, please register through the CIECA website. Please note that rooms are still available at the IBIS Hotel.
- Deadline: The registration deadline for the workshop is Friday, 27 April 2012.
- Working language: The working language is English. Additional background reading material will be provided online closer to the event.