Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-22-Speech-2-210"
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"en.20050222.14.2-210"2
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".
Madam President, Commissioner, I have to congratulate the rapporteur, whose task was incredibly difficult and who was dealing with something that affects nearly all citizens but was at the same time very technical, with many details and large differences between Member States. His task was made all the more difficult because, although everyone may accept the principles and agree that the system should be simplified and better monitored and such like, no one is actually prepared to give up national differences. We use each other’s roads more and more, which means that we must trust each other to a greater extent in the documents we issue to drivers, but the issuing of those documents is still considered a kind of strategic, almost military secret within every Member State, where the seals must therefore be closely guarded. I think, Mr Grosch, that this must make your assignment all the more difficult, and it has not made our job any easier either.
My group agrees on the evident need for the introduction of a European model, and we believe that this should be done as quickly as possible, with regular administrative updates. We are, however, opposed to the introduction of additional tests. They are administrative updates, after all, and it would not be fair on the elderly. Besides, the statistics do not bear out the need for them.
There is no evidence anywhere to suggest that the elderly are particularly unsafe drivers. Moreover, we should not make it more difficult for them to drive cars, which are, for very many older people, simply a lifeline. The same must apply to those in poor health. Ideally, the decision to drive a car or not should be a joint decision taken by a patient and his GP, with the GP judging in good conscience whether or not that person is still able to drive a car, and the patient should respect that decision.
I think that the principle we need to adhere to is not to draft European rules that are too detailed, to impose general principles as is the case in your report and take the decision as close to the citizen as possible. The Committee of European Experts can continue and do their work by all means, but I think that the work should ideally be done as closely to the public as possible.
Our group has tabled a few amendments to bring driving licences for mopeds and motorcycles into line with the tradition in the Member States and not to be too restrictive in this. We support the general thrust of Mr Grosch’s report, which we see, at any rate, as a major step forward. We are moving towards better scope for control within the European Union. In time, we will explain to the citizens that they have licences allowing them to drive a car or motorcycle, or such like, across the entire Union. In the Union, we will be able to rely on the tests set in the different Member States. Therefore, we have certainty that anyone who is given such a licence is a good driver of a moped, a motorcycle, a car or a lorry. I think that the public will come to realise that the European Union also serves very concrete purposes. I think that your report is a step in the right direction, and for that I should like to thank you."@en1
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