The European Union is introducing new rules that will ensure that driving bans are recognized between all member states.
Previously, different penalty point systems in EU countries allowed drivers who were disqualified in one country to continue driving in another. Now, if a driver loses their license in one EU country, this ban will apply in all others, which will increase responsibility and road safety.
Each member state has applied its own rules so far, for example:
- Poland allows a driver to accumulate up to 24 penalty points (20 for new drivers), after which the license is lost.
- Germany has a system based on 8 points, but each violation is assessed more severely.
- France uses a negative system - the driver starts with 12 points, which he loses for violations.
- Italy starts with 20 points, with the possibility of "recovering" them if he drives well.
- Spain has a 15-point system of positive assessments. The driver starts with 8 points, but can reach a maximum of 15 if he drives without accidents.
- Denmark uses the so-called "clip" system (klippekort). After three warnings within three years, the driver loses his driving license.
- Norway (outside the EU, but a common destination): the driver can get a maximum8 points over three years.
- Great Britain (after Brexit): the limit is 12 points over three years, but new drivers (with less than 2 years of driving experience) will lose their rights after 6 points.
A new RESPER database will be used to exchange information between countries, through which national administrations will be able to promptly inform each other about drivers with a driving ban. At the same time, the penalty point systems themselves will remain - for example, in Poland the limit is 24 points, in Germany - 8, in France - 12, but the consequences of violations will become uniform for the entire European Union.
For professional drivers, this means that they will no longer be able to hide from responsibility when working in international transport, they will be able to track their history of violations in more detail, and transport companies will receive new tools for control and increasing discipline. These measures will be an important step towards harmonizing traffic rules and improving safety on European roads.
The Official Journal of the European Union published Council Decision (EU) 2025/1115, which defines the EU position on the adaptation of the European Agreement relating to the work of crews of road transport vehicles (EATR) to the latest changes in European legislation, including amendments to Regulation (EC) No 561/2006.