On June 21, 2022, the European Commission submitted a proposal to extend the validity of Ukrainian driving licenses in the EU. This will allow residents of Ukraine under temporary protection in Europe to use their driver's licenses outside the standard terms of their use. The full text of the proposals of the European Commission in English can be read here.
How is it now?
There are no unified strict rules for the recognition and exchange of foreign driver's licenses in the EU, each country acts in accordance with domestic legislation and concluded international treaties. Usually, foreigners who have arrived in European countries for a long time can use their driver's license for 185 days. Further, the driver's license should be exchanged for a local analogue of the document. These are the rules for using foreign driving licenses in the Netherlands.
Russian aggression caused a huge flow of refugees from Ukraine to Europe. More than 5 million Ukrainians are under temporary EU protection. Those who left Ukraine immediately after the start of the war will soon end the right to use their driving licenses in the Netherlands and other European countries.
Such a massive exchange of driver's licenses for European models can cause a collapse in the bodies of European countries responsible for issuing driver's licenses. The exchange of credentials will be costly and subject to delays. Ukrainians under temporary EU protection will not be able to drive vehicles during the exchange, which will affect their competitiveness in the labor market.
How does the European Commission propose to solve this problem?
The European Commission proposes to EU member states to extend the validity of driving licenses of Ukrainian refugees for the duration of the Directive on temporary protection of this category of foreigners. Such a decision will relieve the competent authorities of the EU states from unnecessary work and create better conditions for refugees from Ukraine.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, which is responsible for issuing driver's licenses, said it would consider these proposals from the European Commission as a matter of urgency. It can be expected that the validity of the Ukrainian driver's license will be extended
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Publication Date: 06.07.2022
