Regional Government welcomes Parliament's unanimous decision to recognise Bermuda driving licences - Communication

Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades

The Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, welcomed today the unanimous approval of a draft bill by the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores regarding the recognition of driving licences issued in Bermuda on Portuguese territory.

The approval concerned amendments to the Highway Code and the Regulations on Legal Qualifications to Drive. Paulo Estêvão expects that, in the next phase, the National Assembly will be "particularly sensitive" to the national implementation of these amendments, which have been sought for decades by the Portuguese community in Bermuda.

As he stressed, the Regional Government is "following" the different considerations voiced in plenary by various parliamentary groups and representatives, praising the "strong ties" between this territory and the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

He continued: “This initiative meets the expectations of the many Azorean descendants living in Bermuda, who have long awaited a resolution to this issue. The Regional Government hopes that the Portuguese Parliament will be especially attentive to the needs of one of the largest Portuguese communities abroad, considering its population percentage.”

Bermuda, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, covers a surface area of just 53.35 km². As a British Overseas Territory, it enjoys a high degree of autonomy and a population of approximately 64,000 residents, making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world, with only 200 km of roads and bridges.

It is estimated that approximately 35% of Bermuda's resident population is Portuguese or of Portuguese descent, primarily from the Azores.

The Azorean Government also emphasises the contributions of Andrea Moniz-DeSouza, President of the Association of Azorean Emigrants, throughout the process.