Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) called for greater openness to his proposals to relax the regulations for obtaining a driver’s licence. “These are all proposals that keep options in reserve” Schnieder told the program “Frühstart” on RTL and ntv on Wednesday. “You don’t have to attend a driving school, but you can. It also makes life easier for driving instructors and driving schools”.
Other countries have already implemented it, and now these measures need to be put into place here as well. “In Luxembourg it costs 1,500 € and it works. Parts of the proposals I have presented are being applied there” Schnieder said. “In Austria it is the same. There too the licences are cheaper”.
In Germany we have “a very difficult situation”. The licence costs on average 3,400 €. “These costs are too high. People feel it” said the CDU politician. For families with several children and for those who rely on a car, the price is especially high. Therefore, as Schnieder continued, he has put forward a number of points where we can act faster, simplify things, reduce bureaucracy, and lower costs.
He did not want to specify when the licence would become noticeably cheaper. We are working on implementing the plans, and this also requires the cooperation of the federal states. “We are currently talking with the states in a working group about all these proposals, which they basically approve, so that we can then enter the legislative process”.
People should not wait unnecessarily. “Anyone who wants to get a licence should do it now” he said. The procedure will start in the spring, and the law will then take effect, promises Schnieder. “We will make the driver’s licence cheaper”.