[avtur3]

I keep hearing and seeing from various media sources that they (EU) needs us (UK) as much as we need them and that this will all pan out in very gentlemanly agreements where we all get the best possible deal. Yet there is a continual drip feed of stories about the EU taking a vindictive approach towards the delinquent UK which is robustly defended by those saying 'it won't be that bad' so how on earth do we get to the point of this news item ... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/201 ... brexit-eu/ ... suggesting that our UK driving licences may no longer be accepted in the EU.

We're rapidly heading into the last twelve months before 'B' day (just 282 working days I believe) and we're hearing stories about something as fundamental as driving licences. Does any one know what is really happening? Is there any one on either side of the debate has the faintest idea what's going on?

[johnm]

There's no vindictiveness involved as far as I can tell, but simple practicalities of our status as a third country rather than a member. There is a myriad of practicalities of this kind to be dealt with and as our status is not yet defined it is hard for either side to design revised systems and protocols or consolidate current ones in a new context.

There is another thread where the driving licence issue was addressed and it comes from the fact that if we no longer have EU driving licences because UK is not in EU, there needs to be a mechanism for recognising UK driving licences. As the EU is not a state how that works needs to be considered by each of the 27. They might all agree to recognise UK driving licences like their own, but they might not.

There are mechanisms in the 1968 Vienna convention and that might be the answer and we'd simply have to go back to how it was in the 1960s when we had to carry an International Driving Permit issued by the AA or RAC.

The trouble is that someone needs to have that conversation, reach an agreed position and then go away and do it. If you then start to make a list of all the issues that need such attention you begin to get an idea of just what a monumental undertaking we face and how pathetically inadequate the planning is.

[riverrock]

Ah - indeed - so another cost - we'll all have to replace our driving licences as they are EU ones.
Now wouldn't it be sensible to have an IDP provided when we replace our licences (perhaps with a box tick and extra £5 fee) so we didn't need to apply for them separately, and so reducing bureaucracy? Then they have to be renewed each year - so perhaps the DVLA could setup a subscription service?

[stevelup]

Quite simply, Project Fear needed something else to bleat on about and create headlines... They've done well with this one though - quite good penetration!

Nothing to see here... Move along...

[johnm]

@stevelup Indeed I don't think it's a major issue, just one on the list to be attended to, but that's a very long list and time is short and you know about system design and implementation..............

[stevelup]

It's difficult to imagine the full scope of the list for sure. It's a hell of a project...

[Rob P]

Interesting to see that the remaining countries are just about to have their meeting to discuss what to do now they will no longer have the UK's financial contribution.

Rob P

[stevelup]

Meh... It's only 8.6 billion quid... I'm sure they can do without it!

[johnm]

Meh... It's only 8.6 billion quid... I'm sure they can do without it!

In economic and financial terms it’s peanuts, in political terms however

[chevvron]

Ah - indeed - so another cost - we'll all have to replace our driving licences as they are EU ones.
Now wouldn't it be sensible to have an IDP provided when we replace our licences (perhaps with a box tick and extra £5 fee) so we didn't need to apply for them separately, and so reducing bureaucracy? Then they have to be renewed each year - so perhaps the DVLA could setup a subscription service?

It's not so long ago your UK driving licence wasn't valid in EU countries; I can remember trekking down to the AA HQ in Basingstoke to 'buy' an International Driving Licence in about '88 for use in Spain.

[Bill Haddow]

Ah - indeed - so another cost - we'll all have to replace our driving licences as they are EU ones.

Sez who ? The DVLA could decide that UK issued "EU" licences remained valid until the photo needed renewing / address changed / got eaten by the dog / got new group added whereupon a new, proper, UK, licence would be issued.

Bill H

[Bill Haddow]

It's not so long ago your UK driving licence wasn't valid in EU countries; I can remember trekking down to the AA HQ in Basingstoke to 'buy' an International Driving Licence in about '88 for use in Spain.

It wasn't so long ago that there wasn't an EU - it didn't come into being until 1993.

Bill H

[Genghis the Engineer]

I think I needed an IDP around 8 years later, I probably still have it in a drawer somewhere.

G

[riverrock]

IDPs only last a year (as that what was agreed in the original convention).

[Remosflyer]

Speaking as a Swiss citizen all I can say is that I have never experienced any difficulty whatsoever in my car, aircraft or boat in the EU, and I don't see why the UK will be treated any differently.