/ world today news/ The European Commission wants to promote the labor market through the package of changes related to road traffic, MEP Petar Vitanov said in the program “People, Roads Cars” on BNR. The head of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the EP also talked about the advantages that the digital license will give for the whole of Europe, as well as the possibility for 17-year-olds to drive with a companion if they have passed their driving test. Vitanov is a coordinator in the Committee on Transport in the European Parliament and will actively participate in the drafting of the new legislation.
Petar Vitanov pointed out that there is an acute shortage of truck drivers in the European Union, which calls into question supply chains.
“There are no drivers. Even after the Mobility package, when the restrictive measures were put in place, no one on Europe’s roads is enforcing them because there are simply no drivers. If they penalize Eastern European drivers, there will be no one to drive goods to the stores,” commented Vitanov and recalled the crisis with empty shelves in Great Britain.
The lowering of the age limit for drivers up to 17 years old is done in order to fill vacancies on the labor market. There is currently a shortage of half a million drivers in Europe.
“In many countries in Europe, the right to drive a heavy vehicle is acquired at the age of 21, while the right to pilot an airplane with 200 people on board is acquired at 18, which is not only discriminatory, but also rather illogical,” added Vitanov.
Because of this, one of the proposals is to be able to take the tests at the age of 17, but then drivers will only be able to drive with a companion until they turn 18.
“In this way, there will be much more prepared drivers on the road, because the current young drivers represent a significant percentage of the causes of serious traffic accidents,” commented the MEP.
The digital license will give many advantages, but it will also prevent a number of serious violations and abuses.
“When Semerdzhiev caused the brutal accident with two people killed in the center of Sofia, it was found out that he was driving with a Swiss license. Subsequently, it also turned out to be fake, but this speaks of a practice – offenders take out foreign licenses and when the one in their country is taken away, they drive with another one. When we have a unified information system and the Bulgarian booklet is like the German or French one, and it reflects violations from all over Europe, this practice becomes impossible. And if you are a reliable driver, the advantages are many, because the system will really help you to get the documents you need, to change your license, to extend its validity, etc., Vitanov also commented.
Still to be discussed are the options of whether there should be age restrictions for driving and what tests and examinations older drivers should pass in order not to pose a danger on the road. The mechanisms of training for new technologies in transport, for which new drivers must acquire competence, will also be commented on. According to Petar Vitanov, within a year and a half, the new legislation will become a reality and Europeans will drive according to new rules.
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Risks associated with this change in legislation?
Hello everyone, welcome to our interview with Mr. Petar Vitanov, a Member of the European Parliament and the Coordinator in the Committee on Transport. Today, we’ll be discussing his views on the European Commission’s recent proposal to promote the labor market through changes in road traffic legislation, specifically the lowering of the driving age and the introduction of a digital license.
Host: Hello Mr. Vitanov, thank you for joining us today. Could you please tell us more about the main objective of the European Commission’s proposal to promote the labor market through changes in road traffic legislation?
Petar Vitanov: Certainly, the main objective is to address the acute shortage of drivers in the European Union, which is causing supply chain disruptions and threatening the stability of our economy. By adjusting the driving age and introducing a digital license, we hope to create new job opportunities and attract more young people into the workforce, thereby filling the existing vacancies.
Host: Could you please expand on the advantages that the digital license will bring to drivers and the transport industry as a whole?
Petar Vitanov: The digital license has multiple advantages. Firstly, it will create a unified system for managing driver information across Europe, making it easier for drivers to change their license or extend its validity when needed. Secondly, it will prevent serious violations such as fake licenses and will make it impossible for offenders to switch between licenses as they face sanctions from all over Europe. Lastly, the digital license will facilitate training for new technologies that are increasingly being used in transportation, ensuring that drivers are well-equipped to handle the demands of modern-day transport.
Host: Speaking of the digital license, some people have concerns about privacy and data protection. How does the European Commission plan to address these concerns?
Petar Vitanov: Privacy and data protection are of utmost importance to us. All personal data will be strictly protected, and access to it will be limited to authorized personnel only. The system will also ensure that users have control over their own data, giving them the power to decide who can access it and for what purpose.
Host: Switching gears, can you elaborate on the proposed age limit reduction for drivers to 17 years old? What are the benefits and potential
