The legislation would allow certain driving bans issued in one EU member state to also be recognised in the country where the licence was originally issued, including Portugal.

In practical terms, a Portuguese driver banned from driving in another EU country for a serious offence could potentially face suspension or withdrawal of their licence in Portugal as well.

The new framework focuses on major road safety offences, including drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs, extreme speeding, and incidents causing death or serious injury.

According to the EU, the system is intended to prevent situations in which drivers sanctioned in one country are still able to drive freely elsewhere in the bloc.

However, the measures will not apply automatically in every case. The decision issued abroad must already be final and no longer subject to appeal. In most cases, the driving ban must also last for at least three months before it can be recognised by another country.

Although the legislation has now been formally approved and published by the European Union, the changes will not take effect immediately. Member states have until November 2028 to adapt their national laws, with the system expected to become fully operational in 2029.

The new measures form part of a broader EU effort to improve cooperation between countries on traffic offences and road safety enforcement.