The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has responded to proposed new changes to the Driver CPC Directive (Certificate of Professional Competence).

Driver CPC is one the most widely recognised and respected qualifications to accredit professional driver competence and provides a benchmark for essential skills for those operating large and heavy goods vehicles across Europe.

However, changes to the directive that have now been put forward by the European Commission, including a ban on refresher courses within a five-year period, could impact some specialised training and make the scheme less flexible for UK firms.

FTA EU affairs manager Chris Yarsley commented: "An unintended consequence could be that a driver would undertake training that was less relevant to his or her role just to fulfil the statutory requirement."

He concluded that failure to ensure the most appropriate training options are pursued as part of Driver CPC for individual industries may make the accreditation less useful in the coming years.

"Driver CPC is one piece of European legislation that our members are keen to preserve because it validates the role of the driver and gives individuals a sense of professional worth," Mr Yarsley stated.

Ben Robb, brand manager at The Fuelcard People, adds: "Driver CPC has been a requirement of all UK professional drivers for several years, but changes that are now being proposed could limit its relevance in the years ahead."