Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of OECD
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal
Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Party of the International coffee agreement 2001

Main International economic cooperation

Member of the European Union, of the European Economic Area, of the Schengen Area, and it belongs to other international organizations, such as the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries.

Non tariff barriers

As it is a member of the European Union, Portugal enforces the Community regulations which are valid throughout the Union.
The main non-Customs barrier is at the level of agricultural products, ensuing from the application of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy).

Customs duties and taxes on imports

Transactions carried out within the EEA are exempt from duties.
The Common Customs Tariff (CCT) of the European Union is applied to goods from outside the EU. In general, duties are not very high, especially for industrial products (4.2% on average).

Customs classification

Yes

Import procedures

For goods of a value under 1 000kg or 1 000 euros, a verbal declaration at Customs, and presenting the invoice, is sufficient.
For higher values, you must deposit at the Customs office:
1) a brief declaration (air or maritime manifest) to conclude the collection of the goods.
2) a common law declaration (SAD, single administrative document), as well as the accompanying documents to allow their clearance.
The SAD form can be obtained from Chambers of Commerce or an approved printer. A computerized Customs clearance platform (SOFI: International freight computer system) can be accessed in Customs offices or in some Chambers of Commerce.

In the case of deliveries and purchases within the European Community, the declaration of exchange of goods (DEB) or Intrastat declaration must be sent to the Customs service.

Importing samples

For the import, export and re-export of commercial samples the ATA (Temporary Admission) carnet can be used. It must be written on the product that it is a free sample and that it may not be sold.

For further information

Directorate General of Customs
Portuguese agency for investment and foreign trade
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of the Economy

We can find you the entry requirements applying to your product (paying service).

Nous pouvons vous proposer de chercher pour vous les droits de douanes qui s'appliquent à votre produit (payant).

We can find you the local taxes that apply to your product for you.

Standards

National standards organizations

Portuguese certification association (APCER)
Portuguese quality institute (IPQ)

Integration in the international standards network

At the European level:
- CEN, European Committee for Standardization
- CENELEC, European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization

At the international level:
- International Standard organization (ISO)
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

Classification of standards

NP, the national certfication mark
CE, European certification mark. It is compulsory for a product to be sold on the market.

Online consultation of standards

APCER, certification association

Certification organizations

Portuguese accreditation institute (IPAC)

We can obtain for you the standard applying to your product (paying service).

We can obtain for you the labelling requirements applying to your product (paying service).

Intellectual Property

National organizations

The National Institute for Industrial Property, the organization for the protection of intellectual property.
The Portuguese Authors' Society for copyright
List of the institutions which manage copyright.

Regional organizations

For the protection of patents: the European Patent Office.

International membership

Signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property
Membership to the TRIPS agreement - Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)