frequent questions
glossary
What is a basic bank account?
Access to the credit intermediary activity
List of authorised credit intermediaries
How to protect yourself from online fraud?
Know your rights when making payments in Europe.
Do you know what the gross domestic product is? What about inflation? (only in Portuguese)
Key tips to protect yourself when choosing online or mobile banking services.
Under the freedom of establishment or freedom to provide services, credit intermediaries authorised in Portugal may carry out credit intermediation activities in relation to home loan agreements in another Member State of the European Union.
The credit intermediaries must notify Banco de Portugal of this intention, by completing the applicable form, to be sent to the email address intermediarioscredito@bportugal.pt:
Form to carry out an activity in another Member State of the European Union under the freedom of establishment (only in Portuguese)
Form to carry out an activity in another Member State of the European Union under the freedom to provide services (only in Portuguese)
Within one month of receiving the notification of the interested party, Banco de Portugal shall address a communication to the competent authority of the host Member State, notifying the credit intermediary thereof.
Credit intermediaries may commence their activity in the host Member State one month after being notified by Banco de Portugal of the communication to the host Member State.
Credit intermediaries authorised in another Member State of the European Union may carry out the credit intermediary activity in Portugal in relation to home loan agreements under the freedom of establishment or the freedom to provide services.
In order to carry out the activity, Banco de Portugal must receive a communication from the competent authority of the home Member State. The communication in question can be made in Portuguese or English and must be sent by email to creditintermediaries@bportugal.pt or alternatively by post to the following address:
Departamento de Supervisão Comportamental
Edifício Portugal
Rua Francisco Ribeiro 2
1150-165 Lisboa
Credit intermediaries authorised in another Member State of the European Union may commence their activity in Portugal one month after being notified by the competent authorities of the home Member State from which Banco de Portugal received the communication.
In the development of their activity in Portugal, these entities:
Must comply with national legislation;
Cannot provide credit intermediation and advisory services in relation to home loan agreements to be granted by entities that are not legally qualified to grant credit in Portugal;
Cannot pursue their activity in Portugal through appointed representatives.
When credit intermediaries authorised in another Member State of the European Union wish to carry out activity in relation to consumer credit agreements, they must apply for authorisation to pursue the activity with Banco de Portugal, in the same terms as any other interested party.
The list of competent authorities for authorization and supervision of credit intermediaries in the other Member States of the European Union is available here.
Decree-Law No. 81-C/2017 (only in Portuguese)
Notice No. 6/2017 of Banco de Portugal (only in Portuguese)
Instruction No. 16/2017 (only in Portuguese)
List of competent authorities from other EU Member States
Form to carry out an activity in another Member State of the EU under the freedom of establishment (only in Portuguese)
Form to carry out an activity in another Member State of the EU under the freedom to provide services (only in Portuguese)
Credit intermediaries – what they are
Credit intermediaries – access to the activity