PORTUGAL Law and Practice Contributed by: João Saúde, Miguel Santos Almeida, Alexandra Valpaços and Eduarda Peixoto, Sérvulo & Associados
Sérvulo & Associados Rua Garrett, 64 1200-204 Lisboa Portugal Tel: +351 210 933 000 Email: geral@servulo.com Web: www.servulo.com
1. General 1.1 Prevalence of Arbitration
pliers operating across multiple jurisdictions. In such cases, parties frequently rely on arbitration clauses to resolve disputes efficiently and confidentially. 1.3 Arbitration Institutions The leading arbitral institution in Portugal is the Com - mercial Arbitration Centre of the Portuguese Cham - ber of Commerce and Industry (CAC-CCIP), based in Lisbon. It is the principal institution for commer - cial arbitration and is widely used in both domestic and international disputes. Other relevant institutions include the Commercial Arbitration Institute of Oporto and the Concórdia Centre for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, in Lisbon. The most notable institutional development in the last 12 months is the commencement of operations of the Unified Patent Court’s Patent Mediation and Arbitra - tion Centre in Lisbon, in January 2026. 1.4 National Courts Portugal does not have specific courts designated to hear disputes related to international arbitrations and/ or domestic arbitrations. State courts have jurisdiction over proceedings to set aside arbitral awards (courts of appeal) and proceedings for the enforcement of arbitral awards (courts of first instance).
International arbitration has become widely used as a dispute resolution mechanism in Portugal over the last few decades, particularly in transactions involving Portuguese companies and foreign counterparties. Domestic parties also resort to arbitration in purely domestic disputes, especially where confidential - ity, technical expertise and procedural flexibility are valued. That said, court litigation remains the default forum for many domestic disputes, particularly smaller claims and matters where the cost of arbitration may not be justified. International arbitration in Portugal is based primar - ily on arbitration agreements, whether in the form of submission agreements or arbitration clauses. Portu - guese law also provides a comprehensive framework for the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. 1.2 Key Industries In recent years, the following sectors have generated the most significant international arbitration activity involving Portugal: • energy (particularly renewables, oil and gas, and LNG projects); • construction and infrastructure; and • large cross-border commercial and financial trans - actions. These industries tend to generate more international arbitration because they involve high-value invest - ments and complex contractual arrangements, often with foreign investors, lenders, contractors and sup -
2. Governing Legislation 2.1 Governing Law
International arbitration in Portugal is governed by the Voluntary Arbitration Law (Law No 63/2011 of 14 December 2011), which entered into force on 14 March 2012. It applies to domestic arbitrations and to international arbitrations seated in Portugal.
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