About the AdC, mission and functions

​The Competition Authority’s mission is to ensure compliance with the competition rules in Portugal. The Authority follows the most recent principles on creating European anti-trust regulatory institutions and has substancial independence with regard to the government and other state bodies. It envisages itself as being a centre of excellence in competition matters in Portugal, fulfilling its role as a partner institution in the European network of Competition Regulators.

The Authority has regulatory, supervisory and disciplinary powers to:

• Propose laws to the competent institutions and approve regulations required to enfroce a competitive environment
• Issue recommendations and general directives about restrictive practices
• Promote studies and seminars in the áreas of competition and market analysis, contribute to the improvment of the legal Framework and carry out the studies requested by the Governement
• Propose and approve codes of conduct and best practices
• Identify and investigate practices prejudicial to free competition on the basis od national and Community laws and to undertake studies, surveys and hearings to investigate those practices
• Gather information and decide on administrative procedures related to anti-trust practices, considering pro-forma that those practices are not against competition laws
• Decide on notifications of mergers and acquisitions
• Prepare and decide on anti-trust cases, using sanctions or preventive measures

Moreover, it’s complementary functions will be to:

• Raise public awareness among economic agents and foster healthy competition
• Co-operate internationally with other competition institutions and in particular, to develop its role within the European Network of Competition Institutions and the European Commission
• Represent the Portugueses tate in international organizations

The Authority has regulatory powers on competition over all sectors of economy, including the reglated sectors, the latter in coordination with the relevant sector regulators