eurealist.co.uk

Richard Corbett up to his usual histrionic verbalistic form in his post about the affect of the new EU driving licence, which must be renewed every 10 years. nb.I do not link to Corbett because he is far to grand to  allow comments,

He complains of the Express and Mail’s predilection for publishing at face value any old garbage sent out in a press release by Europhobic Tories.

Considering these papers would probably print “Brussels bureaucrats eat babies” given the slightest chance, it came as no surprise to see them indulge Conservative MEP Philip Bradbourn by running his claims that the EU intends to force thousands of people to retake their driving tests

According to Corbett “This is of course utter rubbish.”

“The draft directive on EU driving licences provides for Member States to keep their own rules for testing drivers. There is no requirement for people to be retake their test every 10 years, only for them to update the picture on their licence once a decade (as is already a requirement in Britain now for the new plastic cards). There is a proposal that drivers with certain medical conditions (such as serious neurological diseases and some angina sufferers) should be tested every 10 years for their suitability to drive, which is something quite different from retaking their test.”

The Mail article reads “Thousands of motorists could be forced to retake their driving test and undergo medical checks to stay on the road under plans being prepared in Brussels.

The EU is proposing to tear up the rules on British driving licences so that they have to be renewed every ten years.

And drivers with common conditions from diabetes to angina could be subject to compulsory medical tests, according to a Tory analysis of the EU draft directive.”

Which seems to be the same thing Corbett is saying.

Corbett goes on

Bradbourn, the Tory transport spokesman, said: “The EU is trying to dictate to Member States what they need to do in terms of driving tests and licences.”

More nonsense - and he knows it.

Legislation that is actually wanted by every country - and has been approved by the EU Council of Ministers with ministers from every Member State - hardly amounts to “dictation”!

This is just EU spin; Corbett is not denying the truth that the EU will dictate what they need to do in terms of driving tests and licences but is claiming that we want the legislation. In Britian we already have the driving licence system which we want, if we wished to change it we could and would do so, without having to ask the EU or the ministers of 28 other countries for permission, after all that is what we elect Members of the British parliament to do. What this is about is the EU taking control of our rights to drive on our roads.

Something else that is removed from the authority of our government and the power of the voters.

I have recived a copy of an email sent to Corbett by Josephine White who said;

Copy of email just sent to the contemptible Richard Corbett MEP.

Mr Corbett,

I refer to one of your latest blog entries on the EU Driving licence directive which now means that British drivers will have to renew their licences every 10 years.
The following is taken from the Europa web site.

“In future, the validity of driving licenses will be limited. The new rules foresee a 10 year validity period for licenses, which Member States may raise to 15 years. Member States are free to organise medical examinations at the time of administrative renewal.
Following the political agreement of today, the formal adoption of the Directive by the European Parliament will be effective later this year in a second reading. Thus the Directive will enter into force by the end of 2006 and therefore be applicable at the latest at the end of 2012.”

If its not about re-taking regular driving tests to ensure our roads are free of bad drivers, ( which you say it is) then what is the point of it?

Ah…could it have something to do with little gem in the small print?

“With the specific written agreement of the holder, information which is not related to the administration of the driving licence or road safety may also be added in this space.

There could be large advantages from providing some limited flexibility in the content of the chip. Biometric information (such as fingerprint or iris recognition) on the chip would increase driving licence security. The restrictions proposed by the Commission would make it difficult to develop a business case on the basis of driving licence use only. This would not allow the full potential of the technology to be exploited; it would restrict interoperability with other smart card applications; and it would require the public to pay for several cards….

Now why would that be do you think? And who would decide what constitutes a “health problem” or what does or doesn’t constitute a risk to road safety? Ah.. that would be the EU too I expect.

Furthermore, if the re-testing of those who have a medical condition is to become mandatory, then Mr Bradbourne is perfectly correct when he says that “thousands” will have to re-take their test every decade.

I think we both know that this more to do with the forced implementation of a common EU ID card, than road safety.

Its your continual deceit I cannot abide.

JO