A New EU Agreement on Driving Licences

Until now, the consequences of losing your driving licence for a serious offence were limited to the country where the incident occurred. That is about to change.

The Previous System

If your driving licence was issued in another EU country, any suspension or ban only applied in the country that imposed the penalty. This meant that once you returned home—or travelled to another Member State—your licence remained valid and you could continue driving.

The New Agreement

The European Parliament and the 27 EU Member States have now reached an agreement to extend the scope of penalties across the Union. This means that serious traffic offences will result in driving licence withdrawal throughout the EU, not just in the sanctioning country.

Offences covered include:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol

• Driving under the influence of drugs

• Causing accidents resulting in fatalities

How It Works

The country where the offence takes place must notify the issuing country through the RESPER network. The issuing country will then apply an equivalent sanction.

There are also procedural safeguards:

• Licence withdrawal will not be immediate. All appeal options in the sanctioning country must be exhausted first.

• The issuing country must notify the driver within 20 days.

• If the right to appeal is not respected, the issuing country has the power to refuse the enforcement of the sanction.

Why This Matters

This reform represents a historic step in EU cooperation, ensuring that serious road safety offences carry consistent consequences across all Member States. For drivers, it is an important reminder that traffic laws must be respected wherever you are in the EU.

👉 At SGM Abogados, we help clients navigate complex EU and Spanish regulations, ensuring you understand how new legal changes might affect your rights. If you need advice on traffic sanctions, cross-border procedures, or any other legal matter in Spain, our team is here to assist you.