Chapter II · Simple participation, reciprocal participation and control relationships

Article 486 Companies in a relationship of control

Artigo 486.º · Sociedades em relação de domínio

Código das Sociedades Comerciais · Decree-Law No. 262/86 · consolidated text checked 26 October 2026

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1. Two companies are deemed to be in a relationship of control where one of them, referred to as the controlling company, is able to exercise a dominant influence over the other, referred to as the dependent company, either directly or through companies or persons that meet the requirements set out in Article 483(2).

1 - Considera-se que duas sociedades estão em relação de domínio quando uma delas, dita dominante, pode exercer, directamente ou por sociedades ou pessoas que preencham os requisitos indicados no artigo 483.º, n.º 2, sobre a outra, dita dependente, uma influência dominante.

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2. A company is presumed to be dependent on another company if the latter, directly or indirectly:

2 - Presume-se que uma sociedade é dependente de uma outra se esta, directa ou indirectamente:

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a) Holds a majority interest in its capital;

a) Detém uma participação maioritária no capital;

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b) Has more than half of the votes;

b) Dispõe de mais de metade dos votos;

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c) Has the power to appoint more than half of the members of the management body or of the supervisory body.

c) Tem a possibilidade de designar mais de metade dos membros do órgão de administração ou do órgão de fiscalização.

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3. Whenever the law requires holdings to be published or declared, both the presumed controlling company and the presumed dependent company must state whether any of the situations referred to in the points of paragraph 2 of this Article applies.

3 - Sempre que a lei imponha a publicação ou declaração de participações, deve ser mencionado, tanto pela sociedade presumivelmente dominante, como pela sociedade presumivelmente dependente, se se verifica alguma das situações referidas nas alíneas do n.º 2 deste artigo.

What we checked in this article

The dominant-influence test (direct or through Article 483(2) companies or persons), the three presumptions in points (a) to (c), and the disclosure duty of both the presumed controlling and the presumed dependent company 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.

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