Issued 12th October 2006
Third Driving Licence Directive - A Second Reading in Name Only?
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Issued 12th October 2006
Third Driving Licence Directive - A Second Reading in Name Only? |
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The adoption of the draft directive on driving licences
without amendments was proposed at the last meeting of the Transport Committee
of the European Parliament. FEMA opposes this action and calls for a full second
reading as normally provided for within the co-decision procedure.
On Tuesday October 10th, the draft directive on European driving licences began
a second reading by the European Parliament. Following the compromise of the
Member States at the Council meeting of March 27th, the European Parliament
Transport Committee is now considering a recommendation to accept this
compromise without further amendments.
The Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations strongly opposes the
current motorcycle provisions contained in the text and is particularly
concerned by this attempt to bypass the full normal 2nd reading in the Plenary,
as provided for within the co-decision procedure.
The motorcycle provisions claim to improve motorcycle safety, but will do little
in this sense. FEMA argues that the new scheme would only complicate and
increase the cost of motorcycle licensing, indeed having the opposite effect by
making it more difficult to obtain the necessary skills and experience in a
progressive way and therefore opting to wait and directly access full-powered
motorcycles. The iniquitous side effect of these provisions would be actually to
reduce motorcycle accidents by preventing people from taking up motorcycling!
FEMA rejects this approach which is considered to be discriminatory and
inconsistent with the principles of the European Union.
FEMA argues that the position of the Council of Ministers reached in March makes
a mockery of the objective of a harmonized approach and that the only purpose of
the Council’s amendments will be to satisfy the Member States’ sense of
identity.
FEMA believes that there is still time to improve the current version of the
draft directive and calls for Members of the European Parliament to ensure that
the text goes through a full second reading process.
END
Note to editors:
FEMA detailed position on the 3rd driving licence
directive can be found following this link:
http://www.fema.ridersrights.org/docs/FEMA%20DLD_july2006.pdf
Details of the co-decision procedure: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=239192
Issued by
Aline Delhaye
FEMA General Secretary
FEMA - Federation of European Motorcyclists
Associations
Rue des Champs 62, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 736 9047 / Fax: +32 (0)2 736 9401
www.fema.ridersrights.org
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