Swedish MEP Beatrice Timgren (ECR) has questioned the European Commission on whether the mandatory 35-hour periodic certificate of professional competence (CPC) training every five years for professional drivers remains proportionate, citing concerns over administrative burden, driver shortages, and the need for better regulation. The written question, submitted on 2 July 2026, challenges the one-size-fits-all approach and asks whether alternatives such as risk-based training, digital courses, or exemptions for experienced drivers with clean records could be considered.
The question targets Directive (EU) 2022/2561, which requires drivers to complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years to renew their CPC. Timgren points to Sweden's Transportstyrelsen, which enforces this rule, and notes that compliance forces drivers to take time off work and incur costs. She asks the Commission for evidence on the road-safety impact and cost-effectiveness of the requirement, and whether it has evaluated more flexible alternatives. She also queries the current flexibility Member States have to reduce the burden while maintaining safety standards.
Timgren's intervention reflects a tension between road safety objectives and the EU's competitiveness and driver shortage goals. The question implies that the current requirement may disproportionately affect experienced drivers without clear safety benefits. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal whether it is open to revising the directive or granting Member States more leeway. The outcome could impact professional drivers, transport companies, national regulators, and road safety stakeholders across the EU.