Method for braking an alternating current electric motor, wherein said motor can be actuated by means of an electronic control apparatus (100; 200) comprising: - a frequency converter stage (10; 10'), adapted to generate a plurality of Pulse Width Modulation PWM digital signals on the basis of a first (V; Isd ref) and a second (θ; Isq ref) control signals; - a power stage, adapted to transfer electric power (Pel) to the motor to actuate it on the basis of said digital signals, said first control signal (V; Isd ref) being configured to control a magnetization current supplied to the motor, said method comprising the steps of: - detecting first current signals (Ia, Ib, Ic) indicative of actual currents absorbed by the motor; - generating a feedback signal (Iac) indicative of an active current of the motor starting from said first current signals (Ia, Ib, Ic); - comparing said current feedback signal (Iac) with a current threshold (Iaref) to generate a current error signal, wherein: for levels of feedback signal (Iac) lower than said current threshold (Iaref), the method comprises the further steps of: - generating an activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) starting from said current error signal; - summing said activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) to said first control signal (V; Isd ref) to increase said magnetization current to increase an electric power dissipation in the motor; for levels of feedback signal (Iac) higher than said current threshold (Iaref), inhibiting the generation of the activation signal (ΔV; ΔI). - a frequency converter stage (10; 10'), adapted to generate a plurality of Pulse Width Modulation PWM digital signals on the basis of a first (V; Isd ref) and a second (θ; Isq ref) control signals; - a power stage, adapted to transfer electric power (Pel) to the motor to actuate it on the basis of said digital signals, - detecting first current signals (Ia, Ib, Ic) indicative of actual currents absorbed by the motor; - generating a feedback signal (Iac) indicative of an active current of the motor starting from said first current signals (Ia, Ib, Ic); - comparing said current feedback signal (Iac) with a current threshold (Iaref) to generate a current error signal, wherein: for levels of feedback signal (Iac) lower than said current threshold (Iaref), the method comprises the further steps of: - generating an activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) starting from said current error signal; - summing said activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) to said first control signal (V; Isd ref) to increase said magnetization current to increase an electric power dissipation in the motor; for levels of feedback signal (Iac) higher than said current threshold (Iaref), inhibiting the generation of the activation signal (ΔV; ΔI). for levels of feedback signal (Iac) lower than said current threshold (Iaref), the method comprises the further steps of: - generating an activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) starting from said current error signal; - summing said activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) to said first control signal (V; Isd ref) to increase said magnetization current to increase an electric power dissipation in the motor; - generating an activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) starting from said current error signal; - summing said activation signal (ΔV; ΔI) to said first control signal (V; Isd ref) to increase said magnetization current to increase an electric power dissipation in the motor; for levels of feedback signal (Iac) higher than said current threshold (Iaref), inhibiting the generation of the activation signal (ΔV; ΔI).