Driving licence, new Community model (amend. Directive 91/439/EEC)

At first reading, Parliament had approved the Commission proposal on the alternative plastic-coated "credit card" model driving licence. The rapporteur had proposed alterations to the common position of the Council, but most of his amendments were not taken on board. He saw only amendments 1 (on reinstating the reference to flexibility of use, increased security and reduced risk of forgery), 6 and 7 (on the reference to the Member State issuing a licence once more to be compulsory and on a renewed call made for deletion of the words "European Communities model), and 9 (Member States shall undertake to charge only for the cost of issuing the driving licence and shall NOT levy any annual tax) adopted. In the common position, no steps are to be taken at European level to incorporate microchips into the licence. Instead, an expert working party is to study the repercussions of their introduction and all the related security and confidentially aspects. The limit on the validity of the credit card driving licence -1O years was initially proposed - has been removed. On the other hand: other specific optional headings have been introduced to allow space for the holder's identification number, if any and if different from the driving licence number, and for further information which most Member State might wish to add at a later stage to a licence issued by another Member State. Lastly, a new heading has been inserted to enable an issuing Member State to enter administrative information concerning a licence or road safety. If a holder so requested, this new heading could also contain information not connected with the licence (such as indication of blood group, willingness to donate organs, the holder's nationality etc).�