Acts implementing the Directives on professional qualification and on driving licences circulated for comments
The Ministry of Transport and Communications submitted for comments proposals for amending the Driving Licence Act and the professional qualification requirements for lorry and bus drivers in the Act on Transport Services.
The amendments to the Acts would implement the changes made to the Directive on driving licences and the Directive on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers. At the same time, some technical corrections not related to the Directives would be made.
The amendments to the Directive on professional qualifications concern the content and implementation of vocational qualification training, in particular the use of ICT tools in training, and the mutual recognition of periodic training in another Member State, and the exchange of information between Member States for supervision purposes. In the Directive, changes have also been made to the exemptions for situations in which no professional qualifications are required. The changes in the Directive on driving licences are related to the amendments to the Directive on professional qualifications.
As an amendment independent of the implementation of the Directive, the Ministry proposes that a provision concerning the assessment of driving health be added to the Driving Licence Act; it is suggested that night-time epileptic seizures be considered equal with seizures that happen while awake. In addition, the amendment to the Driving Licence Act would clarify the details regarding the maintenance of student records in driving schools.
What next?
The deadline for commenting the amendment proposals is 23 February 2020. The request for comments is available online at www.lausuntopalvelu.fi.
Following the consultation round, the preparations for the Act will continue by Ministry officials.
Inquiries:
Sini Wirén, Director of Unit, tel. +358 295 34 2532, Twitter @Wirensini
Lausuntopalvelu.fi: Luonnos hallituksen esitykseksi tieliikenteen ammattipätevyysdirektiivin ja ajokorttidirektiivin muutosten täytäntöönpanoa koskeviksi laeiksi (VN/8505/2019) (in Finnish)
Finlex: Driving Licence Act (386/2011) (in Finnish)
Finlex: Act on Transport Services (320/2017) (in Finnish)
