CSC Article 481: Scope of this Title

1. This Title applies to relationships established among private limited companies, public limited companies and partnerships limited by shares.

1 - O presente título aplica-se a relações que entre si estabeleçam sociedades por quotas, sociedades anónimas e sociedades em comandita por acções.

2. This Title applies only to companies with their registered office in Portugal, except as regards the following:

2 - O presente título aplica-se apenas a sociedades com sede em Portugal, salvo quanto ao seguinte:

a) The prohibition laid down in Article 487 applies to the acquisition of holdings in companies with their registered office abroad which, according to the criteria laid down in this law, are considered controlling companies;

a) A proibição estabelecida no artigo 487.º aplica-se à aquisição de participações de sociedades com sede na estrangeiro que, segundo os critérios estabelecidos pela presente lei, sejam consideradas dominantes;

b) The duties of companies with their registered office in Portugal to publish and declare holdings cover their holdings in companies with their registered office abroad and the holdings of the latter in the former;

b) Os deveres de publicação e declaração de participações por sociedades com sede em Portugal abrangem as participações delas em sociedades com sede no estrangeiro e destas naquelas;

c) A company with its registered office abroad which, according to the criteria laid down in this law, is considered to be the controlling company of a company with its registered office in Portugal is liable to that company and its members under Article 83 and, where applicable, Article 84;

c) A sociedade com sede no estrangeiro que, segundo os critérios estabelecidos pela presente lei, seja considerada dominante de uma sociedade com sede em Portugal é responsável para com esta sociedade e os seus sócios, nos termos do artigo 83.º e, se for caso disso, do artigo 84.º

d) The formation of a public limited company, under Article 488(1) and (2), by a company whose registered office is not in Portugal.

d) A constituição de uma sociedade anónima, nos termos dos n.os 1 e 2 do artigo 488.º, por sociedade cuja sede não se situe em Portugal.

Editorial note

The consolidated text carries the following annotation: by Ruling No. 272/2021 of the Constitutional Court (Diário da República No. 129/2021, Series I, of 6 July 2021), the combined interpretation of Article 334 of the Labour Code and the opening words of paragraph 2 of this Article was declared unconstitutional, with generally binding force, insofar as it prevents a company with its registered office outside national territory that is in a relationship of reciprocal holdings, a relationship of control or a group relationship with a Portuguese company from being held jointly and severally liable for claims arising from an employment relationship established with the Portuguese company, or from its termination, for breach of the principle of equality enshrined in Article 13 of the Constitution. The declaration of unconstitutionality takes effect from 2 September 1986.

What we checked in this article

The three company types covered, the restriction to companies with their registered office in Portugal and the four exceptions in points (a) to (d), with their cross-references to Articles 487, 83, 84 and 488(1) and (2), are retained.

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Unofficial English translation prepared by BCA Portugal for reference. Only the Portuguese text published in the Diário da República has legal force. Editorial notes are ours and are not part of the statute.

Article 481 Scope of this Title

Portuguese company law, explained in English by the people who apply it