Document ID: 32000D0275

Commission Decision
of 21 March 2000
on equivalences between certain categories of driving licences
(notified under document number C(2000) 511)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2000/275/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences(1), as last amended by Directive 97/26/EC(2), and in particular Article 1(2) and the first paragraph of Article 10 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Directive 91/439/EEC provides that all driving licences issued by Member States, including those issued before the implementation of that Directive in national legislation, have to be mutually recognised.
(2) That the principle of mutual recognition of driving licences entails full recognition of all entitlements which have been granted to a licence holder in accordance with national provisions in force at the time.
(3) Directive 91/439/EEC provides that the Member States are to establish equivalences between the categories of licences issued before the implementation of that Directive and those defined in Article 3 thereof. Those equivalences have to have the agreement of the Commission in a legally binding form,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
This Decision shall apply to all valid driving licences issued in Member States which are still in circulation.
Article 2
Tables of equivalences between categories of driving licences, which have been issued in Member States before the implementation of Directive 91/439/EEC and the harmonised categories as defined in Article 3 of Directive 91/439/EEC are laid down in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 3
1. Categories of driving licences which have been issued prior to the implementation of Directive 91/439/EEC entitle the holder to drive vehicles of the corresponding categories as described in the tables in the Annex to this Decision without restrictions, save as stated otherwise for the relevant entitlement.
2. Codes which indicate the restriction of corresponding entitlements in the tables are harmonised Community codes as defined by Article 7(a) of Directive 91/439/EEC.
3. On exchange of a driving licence to a Community model driving licence as described in Annexes I and I(a) to Directive 91/439/EEC in accordance with Article 8(1) of that Directive, the equivalent entitlements shall be granted as described in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 21 March 2000.

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