The Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdessamad Guioh, and the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing of Portugal, Miguel Pinto Luz, signed today, Wednesday, in Rabat, the agreement regarding the mutual recognition of driving licenses between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Portuguese Republic.
The signing of this agreement is part of the dynamic framework that characterizes the bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries, particularly in areas related to road transport and mobility, and it also embodies a deep renewal of the original agreement signed on May 22, 2003, regarding the mutual recognition of driving licenses for driving and exchange purposes.
In this context, the two parties rely on their shared commitments arising from their accession to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, signed on November 8, 1968, as it is the international reference governing traffic management and standardization of its criteria.
This recent agreement, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, responds to the practical issues faced by Moroccan citizens residing in Portugal, particularly the limited ability to exchange their Moroccan licenses for Portuguese ones, as the Portuguese authorities had restricted recognition to category “B” only, excluding other categories, citing a lack of conformity in the models of driving licenses and the data recorded therein.
In this regard, the same source adds, the ministry, through the National Road Safety Agency, in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Lisbon, initiated a technical negotiation process with the Portuguese Institute for Mobility and Transport, which led to the preparation of a new draft agreement that addresses the issues highlighted by the practical experience and updates the legal and technical framework for the mutual recognition of driving licenses between the two countries.
The main new features of this agreement include adapting its contents to the provisions of Law No. 52.05 regarding the Road Traffic Code, in its updated form, and modernizing its annexes to include the currently applicable driving license models in both countries. The agreement also allows holders of a driving license issued by one party to drive in the territory of the other country for a full year from the date of their entry, in accordance with the legal and regulatory provisions in force.
The new agreement also enshrines the possibility of exchanging the Moroccan driving license for all categories obtained before residing in Portugal, instead of being limited to category “B” only, which would expand the scope of rights guaranteed to Moroccan citizens residing in this country, facilitate their professional and social integration, and enhance their freedom of movement in Portuguese territory.
On this occasion, Mr. Guioh affirmed that this agreement represents an important step that embodies the enduring friendship between Morocco and Portugal, especially in light of the strong human ties that unite the two countries, where Portugal has a Moroccan community exceeding 15,000 people, while more than three thousand Portuguese citizens reside in the Kingdom.
The minister noted, in a statement to the press, the promising economic potentials that characterize Moroccan-Portuguese relations, emphasizing the importance of continuing to strengthen partnerships in the fields of transport, logistics, and infrastructure, as well as expanding the horizons of experience and knowledge exchange that serve the mutual interests of the two countries.
For his part, Mr. Pinto Luz highlighted that the agreement represents the starting point for a new phase of cooperation between the two countries, which will be followed by other initiatives and steps aimed at enhancing avenues for bilateral cooperation and partnership, based on the mutual desire of the two countries to translate their aspirations into tangible projects.
He also praised the developmental dynamism witnessed by Morocco and the significant achievements it has realized in updating its infrastructure and enhancing its logistics capabilities, considering that these strategic investments reflect an ambitious vision that contributes to laying the foundations for sustainable economic growth and enhances the appeal of the Kingdom as a reliable regional and international economic partner.
This agreement is a qualitative gain for the Moroccan community residing in Portugal, and it also reflects the special attention that the Kingdom of Morocco, under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, gives to Moroccans abroad and its continuous commitment to simplifying the administrative processes directed to them and overcoming the obstacles that may hinder their full enjoyment of their rights in their host countries.
