Single Driving Licence for entire EU

The European Union (EU) has introduced a single driving licence for the entire union. The new licence has a credit card style format with a photograph of the licence holder. Member States of the EU can include a microchip which will give access to information about the licence holder. The licence is supported by a European electronic data exchange system which will facilitate management of the licence system. While a single driving licence recognised all over the EU will be quite useful for drivers relocating to a different country within the EU it is also expected to better detect driving licence fraud. The new licence has to be renewed every ten to fifteen years for car drivers and motorcyclists, depending upon the Member State, while bus and lorry drivers have to renew it every five years and also undergo a medical check up at the time of renewal.