Assahafa.com
Morocco and Portugal have signed a new agreement on the mutual recognition of driving licenses, updating a framework that had been in place for over two decades and addressing longstanding concerns raised by Moroccan residents in Portugal.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Rabat by Moroccan Minister of Transport and Logistics Abdessamad Kayouh and Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Miguel Pinto Luz.
According to Morocco’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the revised deal updates an initial agreement signed on May 22, 2003, covering the recognition and exchange of driving licenses between the two countries.
The new agreement comes after difficulties faced by Moroccan citizens living in Portugal when attempting to exchange their Moroccan licenses for Portuguese ones. Under previous practice, Portuguese authorities generally limited exchanges to category B licenses due to differences in license formats and the information they contained.
To address the issue, Morocco’s National Road Safety Agency (NARSA) launched technical negotiations with Portugal’s Institute for Mobility and Transport, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, as well as the Moroccan Embassy in Lisbon.
The negotiations led to a new agreement designed to resolve practical challenges identified over the years while updating the legal and technical framework governing license recognition between the two countries.
Among the main changes is the adaptation of the agreement to the requirements of Morocco’s Road Traffic Code, Law No. 52.05, as amended. The annexes have also been revised to include the driving license models currently used in both countries.
The agreement allows holders of a driving license issued by either country to drive in the other country for up to one year from the date of entry, in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.
It also expands the exchange system for Moroccan license holders residing in Portugal. Instead of being limited to category B permits, Moroccan residents will now be able to exchange licenses from all categories obtained before establishing residency in Portugal.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Kayouh described the agreement as an important step reflecting the strong ties between the two countries. He noted that more than 15,000 Moroccan nationals live in Portugal, while over 3,000 Portuguese nationals reside in Morocco.
For his part, Pinto Luz said the agreement marks the beginning of a new phase of cooperation between Morocco and Portugal and will be followed by additional initiatives to strengthen the bilateral partnership in transport, logistics, and infrastructure.
Source: Morocco word news
