After the news came from Brussels that changes are being prepared that will allow drivers with category B to drive vehicles weighing up to 4.25 tons, many drivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina are rightly wondering when this rule will apply in our country as well.
We are talking about changes to the Directive on driver’s licenses, which received the support of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU in March of this year, but are still awaiting formal adoption and implementation in the member states.
Under the new rules, people with a category B driver’s license would be able to drive vehicles up to 4.25 tons, under certain conditions. This especially applies to motor vehicles for vacations, so-called campers, whose mass often exceeds the current limit of 3.5 tons due to equipment and safety systems.
For vehicles with an alternative drive, such as electric ones, no additional tests will be required, while for vehicles with classic diesel or gasoline engines, special training or a test may be requested. The new rules also introduce a digital driver’s license, which should be available to all EU citizens through the digital identity system by the end of the decade.
The directive foresees other novelties, such as the possibility that persons aged 17 can drive with the presence of a more experienced driver, as well as a mandatory trial period for new drivers in which stricter rules and penalties will apply.
A deadline will be set for EU member states in which they must adapt their laws to the new rules. However, this does not mean that the new rules will automatically be applied in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a candidate country for EU membership, BiH will subsequently have to harmonize its regulations with European standards, which includes changes to the Law on the Basics of Traffic Safety and the regulations on driver’s licenses.
And while in the member countries the application of the new rules can start as early as 2028, in BiH it will depend on the speed of adaptation of the domestic legislation. Experts estimate that, if the reform processes continue at the planned pace, similar changes could come into force here in the next few years.
The new rules are of particular interest to those who are planning to buy a camper, as it would allow them a greater choice of vehicles and an easier trip in Europe. However, until legal changes are made in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the limit of up to 3.5 tons for drivers with category B remains in force for the time being, it says. RTV Slon.
