Portugal

This page contains information on the bodies responsible for Structural Funds programmes and on the first level control in Portugal. You may also speak directly with the Interreg Europe representatives in Portugal.

This section provides information about the control system and national guidance set up in Portugal for the 2021-2027 programming period.

Download the latest list of managing authorities and intermediate bodies responsible for Structural Funds programmes in each country. Select the PT tab for information about Portugal.

Portugal uses a decentralised control system.

The partners shall contract an independent and qualified controller based on a shortlist made available and maintained by the OROC (Ordem dos Revisores Oficiais de Contas) and approved by the approbation body.

The approbation body is finalizing a national approbation checklist and certificate applicable to all Interreg programmes for Portuguese beneficiaries. A template will be provided soon in this section.

The costs resulting from the control are borne by the project partners and can be reported as eligible costs in compliance with the relevant EU regulations and programme rules.  These costs should therefore be planned in the project budget.

The verification of the legality and regularity of expenditure submitted by national beneficiaries of operations, will concern all payment requests and will involve on-the-spot verification for products and services co-financed.

For more information, Portuguese partners are invited to contact the approbation body.

This section provides information on the system set up for first level control in Portugal for the 2014-2020 programming period. The costs associated with this control are indicated so that they can be planned for in project budgets.

Portugal uses a decentralised first level control system.

Before the first expenditure can be reported, the project partners will be required to propose an independent external controller to the approbation body.

This body will approve the controller proposed by the project partner after checking that the controller is sufficiently independent from project activities and finances and qualified to carry out the control of an Interreg Europe project. The Cohesion and Development Agency will also validate each partner control report before submission to the JS.

The costs resulting from the control can be reported as eligible costs in compliance with the relevant EU-regulations and programme rules.

In compliance with the article 23 (4) of Regulation (EU) No 1299/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 and article 125 (5) and (6) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013, on-the-spot verifications will be carried out for each project partner at least once during the project lifetime.

However, the controllers are recommended by the Agency to perform, whenever possible, an on-the-spot check for each report. 

In view of the current COVID-19 situation and following the Government's recommendations for containing the pandemic, which goes beyond the mitigation of social contacts, the mandatory verifications of each expenditure payment claim, which is reinforced by a contractual obligation to be carried it out by all external First Level Controllers on the premises of the beneficiaries, may be compromised.

As it is currently impossible for FLCs to perform their tasks on the beneficiaries’ premises to carry out the on-the-spot checks in accordance with the Management and Control System Description, we propose the following procedural changes:

• Until further notice, all administrative verification related expenditures documents, financial and accounting verification may be carried out by using the Operational Programmes’ platforms. Alternatively, in the case of any lack of functionality or incompatibility, by exchanging scanned documents made available by the beneficiaries to their FLCs. The administrative verification must be carried out in accordance with the National Authority procedures manual, chapter 2.5.2 – Payment Claim Verification;
• As regards to the on-the-spot verification, in view to confirming the physical implementation of the investments, the on-the-spot should take place before the project closure. Regardless the above mentioned, the FLCs shall be able to request any needed evidence of the project implementation during their administrative verification, (e.g. photographs of equipment and its location or other audiovisual record that can be kept). FLCs are also reminded of the need of proof in compliance with point 2.2.2 b) of Regulation 1303/2013 of 17 December in Annex II, on project information and communication (poster A3 that must be posted on the beneficiary's premises).

Since the checks may be carried out without the obligation to be on the premises of the beneficiary, it is important to ensure, on both the FLCs and the beneficiaries’ sides, an adequate audit trail.

We also stress that these guidelines may be adjusted whenever necessary to include further contributions from the Audit Authority. These guidelines entered into force on 18 March 2020 and will remain in force until the normal functioning of the institutions is resumed by an official Portuguese Government announcement.

Download the latest publication by Norte Regional Coordination and Development Commission about the participation of Norte region of Portugal in Interreg Europe below.

Visit their website for other Portuguese-language publications related to the European Territorial Cooperation programmes.

Have a look at the Portuguese content on our website. Scroll through our project ideas and good practices, or contact our Portuguese community members and organisations.