WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1278/97 by Lis JENSEN to the Commission. Requirements of Directive 91/439/EEC regarding drivers' sight
Date: 1997-04-07
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: European driving licence, European standard, commercial vehicle, drivers, health legislation, optical industry, optics, road safety, road transport, transport safety













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91997E1278

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1278/97 by Lis JENSEN to the Commission. Requirements of Directive 91/439/EEC regarding drivers' sight  


Official Journal C 373 , 09/12/1997 P. 0099 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-1278/97 by Lis Jensen (I-EDN) to the Commission (7 April 1997)Subject: Requirements of Directive 91/439/EEC regarding drivers' sightDirective 91/439/EEC ((OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1. )) entered into force on 1 July 1996, introducing stricter requirements in regard to professional drivers' sight. In Denmark, the requirements have been changed from at least 0.5 and 0.25 to at least 0.8 and 0.5 respectively.1. What is the basis to the more stringent requirements?2. Is there any scope for transitional arrangements or exemptions from this Directive, e.g. on the basis of case-by-case assessment by ophthalmic experts?3. Have any Member States granted exemptions from the Directive?4. Has the Commission given any thought to the social and road safety implications of withdrawing experienced, professional drivers' licences?Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (26 May 1997)1. Annex III of Directive 91/439/EEC sets the minimum standards of physical and mental fitness for driving a power-driven vehicle. The aim of these standards is to fix a minimum level to ensure road safety, as well as to enhance mutual recognition of driving licences within the Community. The standards of visual acuity for Group 2 drivers for categories C and D (for example lorries and buses) are laid down in point 6.3 of the Annex. These standards were established with the national authorities and endorsed by all Member States in 1991 when the Directive was adopted.At the time of the implementation of the Directive in 1996, several Member States asked the Commission to review the values for sight correction by means of glasses, on the basis of the progress made by the optical industry. After a meeting with national experts, the Commission considered that, in accordance with the provisions of Article 7.3 of Directive 91/439/EEC, the development of medical science justified a change.Consequently, on 10 July 1996, the Commission adopted a Decision ((OJ L 175, 13.7.1996. )) that raised the value of plus or minus 4 dioptres to plus or minus 8 dioptres for the correction by means of glasses of drivers for Group 2. The review did not put the standards of visual acuity into question (0,8 and 0,5).2. The Directive requires all drivers to meet the minimum standards laid down in Annex III. It does not provide for transitional periods or derogations from the minimum standards. However, Member States may fix stricter standards if they so wish.3. No.4. Although the Commission proposal ((OJ C 48, 27.2.1989. )) did provide for a clause giving Member States the possibility of renewing driving licences under the same conditions for medical standards as those which were applicable at the time of the first issue of the licence, such a derogation was not retained by the Council when adopting the Directive.