Morocco and Portugal signed a new agreement on Wednesday in Rabat concerning the mutual recognition of driving licenses, marking a strategic step to facilitate citizen mobility and update the common legal framework between the two countries for 2026. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of the Moroccan Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdel Samad Kayouh, and the Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, in the context of strengthening bilateral relations and the accelerating dynamism witnessed in the partnership between the two countries in road transport and mobility sectors.
This updated agreement aims to resolve the administrative and professional difficulties faced by the Moroccan community residing in Portugal for many years, particularly regarding the exchange of driving licenses and the expansion of approved categories. This report reviews the technical details of the new agreement, the direct benefits for community members, in addition to the political and economic dimensions of developing infrastructure and logistics between Rabat and Lisbon.
This comprehensive update replaces the initial agreement signed between the two parties on May 22, 2003, following intensive technical negotiations led by the National Agency for Road Safety in Morocco in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Moroccan Embassy in Lisbon, alongside the Portuguese Institute for Mobility and Transport. The new agreement is based on the international commitments of the two countries stemming from the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, signed on November 8, 1968, as the international reference for standardizing traffic rules. The updated technical provisions include a set of fundamental changes and facilitations regulating mobility, as follows:
- Legislative Compatibility: Adapting the legal provisions of the agreement to the requirements of the current Moroccan Traffic Code and aligning them with Portuguese legislative updates.
- Model Updates: Updating the administrative appendices to integrate and match the driving license models currently in use in both countries.
- Temporary Driving: Allowing holders of a driving license issued by one of the two countries to drive in the territory of the other country for a full year from the date of entry.
The most significant development in this agreement lies in overcoming previous restrictions imposed by Portuguese authorities, which limited the license exchange process to only one category. The new amendments grant direct benefits to the community, including the following standards:
- Exchange of All Categories: The possibility of exchanging Moroccan driving licenses of all categories obtained before establishing residency in Portugal, whereas previously it was limited to category "B" only due to differences in models and data.
- Enhancing Professional and Social Integration: Empowering resident Moroccans to access the job market in the transport and logistics sectors and expanding their civil rights.
- Caring for Moroccans Worldwide: Embodying official attention to simplifying administrative procedures and removing legal obstacles faced by the immigrant community.
The Moroccan Minister of Transport and Logistics affirmed that the agreement reflects the strong friendship and close human ties between the two countries, based on the mutual population density, which includes over 15,000 Moroccan citizens in Portugal, compared to more than 3,000 Portuguese citizens residing in Morocco. For his part, the Portuguese Minister indicated that the signing represents the beginning of a new phase of joint bilateral cooperation, commending the developmental and modern leap witnessed by Morocco in the fields of infrastructure and logistical capabilities that enhance its regional and international competitiveness.
This negotiation process concludes with the adoption of a flexible legal framework that contributes to facilitating the lives of thousands of individuals from both communities and stimulating economic activity. Concerned citizens can follow the executive procedures and required documents for the exchange process through the official electronic portals of the National Agency for Road Safety and the Portuguese Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT) to keep abreast of the effective commencement of the agreement in 2026.
Official source of the news: Click here to go to the full report on the Morocco News Agency website