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The legislative footprint in local government: the separate timetable for municipalities and parishes and what to prepare now.
The regime only applies to municipalities, their local companies and intermunicipal entities from 01-06-2027, and to parishes from 01-01-2028. Preparing early is a management choice; it is not yet a legal requirement.
Separate timetable
| Bodies | Regulatory rules by | Law applies from | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipalities, local companies and intermunicipal entities | 30-04-2027 | 01-06-2027 | Law no. 37-A/2026, Article 8(6) |
| Parishes | 30-11-2027 | 01-01-2028 | Law no. 37-A/2026, Article 8(7) |
What the footprint means for a municipality
Article 10(2) covers the preparatory phase of public policies and regulatory acts. For a municipality, that means municipal regulations, plans and local policies: who was heard when a fees regulation, an urban development plan or a regulation on support for associations was being prepared. The parliamentary form is a source of inspiration but has to be adapted to municipal powers.
Early adaptations already published
Several municipalities have built the subject into their codes of conduct ahead of the deadline. These are useful precedents, with one caveat: writing the subject into a code is not the same as having a working system for hearings and footprint.
| Municipality | Act | Publication |
|---|---|---|
| Paredes | Notice no. 661/2026 | DR, 2nd series, 03-06-2026 |
| Vila Viçosa | Regulation no. 909/2026 | DR, 2nd series, 14-07-2026 |
| Cabeceiras de Basto | Notice no. 981/2026 | DR, 2nd series, 28-07-2026 |
| Ribeira Brava | Notice no. 19852/2026/2 | DR, 2nd series, 11-08-2026 |
| Oliveira do Bairro | Notice no. 1043/2026 | DR, 2nd series, 12-08-2026 |
| Trofa | Notice no. 20669/2026/2 | DR, 2nd series, 19-08-2026 |
What to prepare now
- an officer and an internal workflow for qualifying contacts;
- a template for recording hearings;
- a procedure for checking the representative's registration;
- rules on publication, data protection and the handling of withheld information;
- coordination between the mayor's office, councillors, private offices, departments and local companies.
The regulatory rules on publication of hearings are dealt with at lobbyingmunicipal.pt; here we deal with the footprint mechanism.
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