What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

Added:- motor vehicles other than those in categories D1 or D, the maximum authorised mass of which exceeds 3 500 kg, but does not exceed 7 500 kg, and which are designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver.

Added:- Motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 750 kg;

Added:(v) category C1E:

Added:- without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category C1 and its trailer or semi-trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kg provided that the authorised mass of the combination does not exceed 12 000 kg;

Added:- without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category B and its trailer or semi-trailer has an authorised mass of over 3 500 kg, provided that the authorised mass of the combination does not exceed 12 000 kg;

Added:(vi) category C:

Added:- motor vehicles other than those in categories D1 or D, whose maximum authorised mass is over 3 500 kg and which are designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver.

Added:- Motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass which does not exceed 750 kg.

Added:(vii) category CE:

Added:- without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category C and its trailer or semi-trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kg;

Added:(viii) category D1:

Added:- motor vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of more than 8 and no more than 16 passengers in addition to the driver and with a maximum length not exceeding 8 meters. [Am. 60]

Added:- motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 750 kg;

Added:(ix) category D1E:

Added:- without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category D1 and its trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kg.

Added:(x) category D:

Added:- motor vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of more than eight passengers in addition to the driver; motor vehicles which may be driven with a category D licence may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass which does not exceed 750 kg;

Added:(xi) category DE:

Added:- without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category D and its trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kg.

Added:2. With the prior agreement of the Commission, which shall assess the impact of the proposed measure on road safety, Member States may exclude from the application of this Article certain specific types of power-driven vehicles, including special vehicles for persons with disabilities. or vehicles used in construction sector classified inter alia as non-road mobile machinery. [Am. 69]

Added:Member States may exclude from the application of this Directive types of vehicles used by, or under the control of, the armed forces and civil defence. They shall inform the Commission thereof.

Added:Article 7 Minimum ages

Added:1. The minimum age for issuing a driving licence shall be the following:

Added:(a) 16 years for categories AM, A1, B1 and T and B1; [Am. 70]

Added:(b) 18 years for categories A2, B, BE, C1 and C1E;

Added:(c) With regard to category A:

Added:(i) 20 years for motorcycles. However, access to the driving of motorcycles of this category shall be subject to a minimum of two years' experience on motorcycles under an A2 licence. The two years’ experience requirement may be waived if the candidate is at least 24 years old;

Added:(ii) 21 years for powered tricycles exceeding 15 kW;

Added:(d) 21 years for categories C, CE, D1 and D1E;

Added:(da) without prejudice to the circumstances set out in Article 6(1) of Directive (EU) 2022/2561, 18 years for categories C, CE, D1 and D1E, for professional drivers using driving licence nationally and internationally on the condition that they hold a Certificate for Professional Competence (CPC); [Am. 71]

Added:(e) 24 years for categories D and DE.

Added:(ea) without prejudice to the circumstances set out in Article 6(1) of Directive (EU) 2022/2561, 21 years for categories D and DE, for professional drivers using driving licence nationally and internationally on the condition that they hold a Certificate for Professional Competence (CPC). [Am. 72]

Added:2. Member States may raise or lower the minimum age for issuing a driving licence:

Added:(a) for category AM down to 14 years or up to 18 years;

Added:(b) for category B1 up to 18 years;

Added:Member states may not issue a driving licence for category B1 for a candidate over 21 years for the vehicles referred to in Article 9(4), first subparagraph, point (c), and under the conditions provided for in that paragraph. [Am. 73]

Added:(c) for category A1 up to 18 years, provided that both of the following conditions are fulfilled:

Added:(i) there is a two years difference between the minimum age for category A1 and the minimum age for category A2;

Added:(ii) there is a requirement of a minimum of two years’ experience on motorcycles of category A2 before access to the driving of motorcycles for category A can be granted, as referred to in paragraph 1, point(c)(i);

Added:(d) for categories B and BE down to 17 years.

Added:3. Member States may lower the minimum age for category C to 18 years and for category D to 21 years with regard to:

Added:(a) vehicles used by the fire service, civil protection and vehicles used for maintaining public order; [Am. 74]

Added:(b) vehicles undergoing road tests for repair or maintenance purposes.

Added:Member States may mutually recognise on their territory the validity of driving licences issued to drivers under the minimum ages as set out in this paragraph. [Am. 75]

Added:4. Driving licences issued in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3paragraph 2 shall only be valid on the territory of the issuing Member State until the licence holder has reached the minimum age limit set out in paragraph 1. [Am. 76]

Added:Member States may recognise the validity on their territory of driving licences issued to drivers under the minimum ages set out in paragraph 1.

Added:5. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, points (d) and (e), of this Article, where the candidate holds a certificate of professional competence referred to in Article 6 of Directive (EU) 2022/2561, the minimum age for issuing a driving licence shall be as follows:

Added:(a) for categories C and CE, the minimum ages provided for in Article 5(2), point (a)(i) of Directive (EU) 2022/2561;

Added:(b) for categories D1 and D1E, the minimum age provided for in Article 5(3) point (a)(i), second subparagraph, of that Directive;

Added:(c) for categories D and DE, the minimum ages provided for in Article 5(3) point (a)(i) first subparagraph, Article 5(3) point (a)(ii) first subparagraph, and Article 5(3) point (b), of that Directive. [Am. 77]

Added:Where, in accordance with Article 5(3), point (a)(i), second subparagraph, or Article 5(3), point (a)(ii), second subparagraph of Directive (EU) 2022/2561, a Member State authorises driving within its territory from a lower age, the validity of the driving licence shall be limited to the territory of the issuing Member State until such time as the licence holder has reached the relevant minimum age referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph and holds a certificate of professional competence.

Added:Article 8 Conditions and restrictions

Added:1. Member States shall mark driving licences issued to a person subject to one or more conditions under which he or she is authorised to drive. To that end Member States shall use the corresponding Union codes provided for in Annex I, Part E. They may also use national codes for conditions not covered by Annex I, Part E, and, where they do so, they shall report this fact without delay to the Commission, along with details of the codes and cases in which they are used, upon the entry into force of this Directive and in case of [subsequent] new additions or modifications of existing codes. [Am. 78]

Added:If, due to a physical incapacity, driving is authorised only for certain types of vehicles or for vehicles adapted in order to compensate for such incapacities, the test of skills and behaviour provided for in Article 10(1) shall be taken in such a vehicle.

Added:2. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 21, to amend Annex I, Part E, where necessary in order to take account of technical, operational or scientific developments.

Added:Article 9 Staging and equivalences between categories

Added:1. Driving licences for categories BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE shall be issued only to drivers already entitled to drive vehicles in category B.

Added:2. The validity of driving licences shall be determined as follows:

Added:(a) licences issued for categories C1E, CE, D1E or DE shall be valid for combinations of vehicles in category BE;

Added:(b) licences issued for category CE shall be valid for category DE as long as their holders are entitled to drive vehicles in category D;