HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif El Baz
A driving license is considered one of the essential documents in the life of a Moroccan immigrant in Italy, as it allows for daily travel to the workplace, transporting children to schools, and fulfilling various needs, making it a pivotal element in stability and social and professional integration.
However, the agreement concluded between Morocco and Italy regarding the exchange of driving licenses has produced a practical problem, which is the requirement of two years having passed since the date of issuance of the Moroccan driving license before the date of residency, a condition that the Moroccan community considers a real obstacle for a large number of immigrants.
In an exclusive statement to HIBAPRESS, Fatima Khalouq, an activist within the Moroccan community in Italy, affirmed that this condition "does not reflect the reality of the Moroccan immigrant, nor does it take into account the different migration paths," adding that "many Moroccans leave the country in social or economic circumstances that do not allow them to obtain a driving license in advance, only to be surprised later by the impossibility of exchanging it despite their competence and experience."
The speaker highlighted that the inability to exchange a driving license has serious social and professional repercussions, especially since the license is a basic requirement for access to the labor market in vital sectors that depend on transportation, such as transportation, services, and construction, which pushes some to retake the driving test from scratch at high costs, or to give up important job opportunities.
Fatima Khalouq emphasized in the same statement that "reviewing the two-year condition or modifying it flexibly would alleviate the suffering of thousands of Moroccans in Italy, strengthen the confidence of Moroccans around the world in their country's institutions, and is in line with the spirit of cooperation on which the bilateral agreements between Morocco and Italy are based."
She concluded by saying that the Moroccan community in Italy appeals to the Moroccan authorities to reconsider this condition in the future, and to adopt an approach that takes into account the interests of the Moroccan citizen abroad, and contributes to facilitating their legal and professional integration, reflecting the state's keenness to protect the rights of its citizens wherever they are.
