Chapter III · Group relationships · Section II · Equal-footing group agreement

Article 492 Rules governing the agreement

Artigo 492.º · Regime do contrato

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

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1. Two or more companies that are dependent neither on each other nor on other companies may form a group of companies by means of an agreement under which they accept submission to a unified and common direction.

1 - Duas ou mais sociedades que não sejam dependentes nem entre si nem de outras sociedades podem constituir um grupo de sociedades, mediante contrato pelo qual aceitem submeter-se a uma direcção unitária e comum.

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2. The agreement and any amendments to and extensions of it must be made in writing and be preceded by resolutions of all the participating companies, adopted on a proposal from their management bodies and on the opinions of their supervisory bodies, by the majority that the law or the articles of association require for a merger.

2 - O contrato e as suas alterações e prorrogações devem ser reduzidos a escrito e precedidos de deliberações de todas as sociedades intervenientes, tomadas sobre proposta das suas administrações e pareceres dos seus órgãos de fiscalização, pela maioria que a lei ou os contratos de sociedade exijam para a fusão.

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3. The agreement may not be concluded for an indefinite period, but may be extended.

3 - O contrato não pode ser estipulado por tempo indeterminado, mas pode ser prorrogado.

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4. The agreement may not modify the statutory structure of the management and supervision of the companies. Where the agreement establishes a common body of direction or coordination, all the companies must participate in it equally.

4 - O contrato não pode modificar a estrutura legal da administração e fiscalização das sociedades. Quando o contrato instituir um órgão comum de direcção ou coordenação, todas as sociedades devem participar nele igualmente.

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5. Article 506 applies to the termination of the agreement.

5 - Ao termo do contrato aplica-se o disposto no artigo 506.º

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6. The statutory rules governing competition between undertakings are not affected.

6 - Ficam ressalvadas as normas legais disciplinadoras da concorrência entre empresas.

What we checked in this article

The requirement that no participating company be dependent, the merger majority for the prior resolutions, the bar on an indefinite term and equal participation in any common body 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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