Diabetic drivers benefit from EU vote

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 3rd Mar 2005

MEPs have approved a new set of European rules on driving licences which will greatly ease restrictions on access to driving licences for British people suffering from diabetes, as long as the UK government does not introduce extra requirements on top. The main changes are:

• all diabetic drivers will be relieved of the inconvenience or expense of having regular specific medical check-ups, even for HGV licences

• only insulin-dependent diabetics will need a doctor's authorisation to get a car driving licence, those not dependent on insulin will not

• all diabetic drivers can get HGV licences on the same basis as other drivers, i.e a one-off medical check-up at first application and 10-year renewal

• whereas previously insulin-dependent diabetics could only get HGV licences 'in very exceptional circumstances', now they will only need a doctor's authorisation and to notify any change in their condition.

London Liberal Democrat MEP for London Baroness Sarah Ludford, said:

"I strongly welcome this vote, which will make life easier for many of the 1.8 million people in the UK who have diabetes. MEPs are ensuring that legislation is based on assessment of actual risks in the light of modern diabetic care and treatment, rather than on out-of-date bureaucratic hassle."

"We must be vigilant to stop the British government falling into its familiar ways of being tempted to gold-plate this EU Directive, introducing stricter rules that required by Europe. This new package is sensible and safe."

"It's a pity that a Liberal Democrat amendment to relax the rules on driving licences for medically-stable epilepsy sufferers was not supported by the Socialist group to which Labour MEPs belong or by the majority of the Conservative-Christian Democrat group to which British Tory MEPs belong."