New EU Rules Enabling Earlier Entry for Young Professional Drivers

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The European Parliament has approved new rules that lower the minimum age for professional truck and bus drivers, provided they also obtain a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). These changes, part of a broader “road safety package,” aim to combat the driver shortage in the EU. Member States will have up to four years to incorporate the new provisions into national law. 

Key changes for young professional drivers

  • Truck drivers (Category C): The minimum age to drive a truck is lowered from 21 to 18. This applies to drivers who hold a CPC.
  • Bus drivers (Category D): With a CPC, the minimum age for bus drivers is reduced from 24 to 21.
  • Accompanied driving: The directive introduces an EU-wide scheme allowing 17-year-olds to gain professional experience through accompanied driving in certain vehicles. For standard car licenses (Category B), this is extended across the EU. 

Context and rationale

These measures are a response to Europe’s ongoing and worsening shortage of professional drivers, which threatens the continuity of both passenger and freight transport services. By allowing young people to start their careers earlier, the EU hopes to attract more new talent to the road transport sector and close the “school-to-wheel” gap. 

Additional road safety measures

The reforms also introduce broader road safety initiatives that apply to all drivers, including:

  • Digital driving license: A digital license, accessible on a mobile phone, will become the standard, but a physical card will remain available on request.
  • Tougher rules for novices: New drivers will face a probationary period of at least two years, with stricter rules and penalties for violations such as drink-driving.
  • Training updates: Driver training will be updated to focus on risk awareness for vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, and to cover topics like advanced driver-assistance systems.
  • Cross-border enforcement: Drivers who have their license suspended in one EU country for serious offenses will have that disqualification enforced across all Member States.