COVID-19 > Municipal Support

• Planning operations for licensing or prior notice of building works; and

• Urbanization works; and

• Some allotments (excluding requests for prior information (PIPs), authorisations for use, among others).

• Having no debts to the Municipality; and

• The work should be completed by the end of 2022. This deadline can only be extended, for a maximum of 1 more year, by a justified request, duly validated by the municipal urban planning services;

• The constructions inserted in allotments, whose allotment licenses have been issued and paid between March 14th 2020 and the end of 2020, and whose work is completed by the end of 2022.

• From 8 to 4 working days for preliminary examination;

• From 30 to 15 days for decisions on architectural design and urbanisation works;

• From 45 to 22 working days for licensing applications (verification of specialty projects);

• From 30 to 15 working days for issuing building and urbanisation permits.

• The applicant net of all fees, the benefit granted by bank transfer being returned at the end of the work;

• The return takes place at the request of the interested party, accompanied by the book of work and the term of responsibility of the director of work or the director of inspection attesting to the completion of the work in accordance with the licensed project;

• The beneficiary of the return shall be the owner of the process at the date of completion of the work.

Relevant document:

Regulation No. 728/2020, Official Gazette of the Republic of Portugal No. 169/2020, Series II of 2020-08-31

Who may benefit?

Owners of local lodging properties or properties available in the sales and rental market may enjoy the benefits.

The rental contracts will be not signed for a period of less than 3 years, being renewable once for a maximum length of 5 years.

What are the benefits?

• Total exemption from Municipal Property Tax (IMI) for buildings that sign rental contracts with the Municipality of Porto under this initiative;

• Increase of up to 10% in the value of the rent, for the rental of furnished properties;

• Possibility of advance payments, up to a maximum to be defined in the Regulation, provided that it is demonstrable that this advance payment is used for the payment of liabilities to the bank;

• Guarantee of timely compliance with the rent payment obligation, eliminating the risks and costs arising from any sub-tenant default.

How to access?
The municipal company Porto Vivo, SRU will be responsible for the operational management of the Porto com Sentido program. 

For further clarification, you may contact Porto Vivo, SRU by email: portovivo@portovivosru.pt.

• Installations, establishments or activities closed down in whole or partially by Government Decree, legislative or administrative determination; or

• Activities with an abrupt or sharp drop of at least 40% in invoicing in the 30-day period prior to the submission of the request for access, compared to the monthly average of the 2 previous months or compared to the same period of the previous year.

· the occupation of public space with advertising media; 

· occupation of public space with the installation of awnings, terraces, showcases and displays, chests and machines, flower boxes, containers, grills, carpets; 

· other public domain occupations, such as non-profit events;

· issuing of a license to operate tourist circuits, tourist developments, the establishment of catering or beverage establishments, the sale of goods, the provision of services or storage, public transport for car hire, provision of restaurant or beverages services with a non-sedentary character, in public space, depending on the area of ??the facilities and the period of operation; 

· special constructions or installations on the ground or underground namely temporary constructions or installations due to celebrations, for commercial purpose; 

· pavilions, kiosks or other buildings not included in the previous numbers of article 66 of the Municipal Fees Table in force, contained in Annex G-1 of Part G of the Regulatory Code of the Municipality of Porto.

Annual fees paid in February meanwhile charged will be refunded, relating to terraces, awnings, advertising media and licenses for operating tourist circuits, as well as those that, other than annual fees, have already been charged with respect to fiscal facts that occurred after February 29^th of this year, following the exemptions previously mentioned.

The exemption and refund can only be applicable to economic agents and establishments that have fulfilled their taxes obligations with the Municipality.

Registrations should be made through an online form, and the following data should be sent: name of the training action; full name of the participant; position; education; telephone and email contacts; name of the commercial establishment; sector of activity; full address; telephone and email.

After registration and its validation by the Municipal Division of Commerce, a link will be sent to access the training course, on the date and the time set (consult the program). The sessions have a duration of 2 hours and a limit of 30 participants.

For any further question or request for clarification, please contact the Municipal Division of Commerce of the Porto City Council, via email comercio@cm-porto.pt.

• April 20th, 22nd, 24th and 27th - Creating a Website for Small Businesses > understand, plan and implement the creation of a website, ensuring an online presence capable of attracting new AUDIENCES. This action is intended for entrepreneurs and employees in the commerce sector, with or without training and experience in websites.

• April 21st, 23rd, 28th and 30th - E-Commerce / Online Sales > to define an online commerce plan it is necessary to know this business model well and to know the opportunities, threats, advantages and disadvantages of a digital sales platform.

• April 21st, 24th, 28th and 30th - How to Evaluate and Control your Business > help to interpret and evaluate the financial situation of the company and its investments.

• May 4th, 6th, 8th and 11th, 6, 8 and 11 - Social Network Management - Facebook, Instagram and Youtube > Optimize and effectively manage your business social networks for more and better results.

• May 4th, 6thm 8th and 11th - Sales Techniques and Strategies > define your sales strategy according to the defined objectives and implement the appropriate techniques in view of the expected results.

• May 5th, 7th, 12th and 14th - Facebook Management > define and create effective communication strategies to boost your business and boost your Facebook page, one of the most used social networks worldwide.

• May 5th, 7th, 12th and 14th- Customer Management > develop and improve the ability to manage customers and provide a service with impact on sales.

• May 13th, 15th, 18th, 20th, 25th and 27th - Business Partners and Promotion of a Contact Network > demonstrate that your business is as strong as your network. Plant knowing how to present your business and irrigate creating relationships.

• May 13th, 15th, 18th and 20th - Internet Presence Business / Google My Business > challenge the various businesses to the importance of a digital communication strategy and to the growth and promotion of your brand on the Internet.

• May 19th, 21st, 22nd, 26th, 28th and 29th- Communication and Advertising Strategies > knowing how to communicate a business or brand well is essential to ensure the success and growth of any company. This action aims to support businesses in defining marketing plans, with a focus on local business communication and advertising.

• May 19th, 21st, 22nd, 25th, 27th and 29th - Personal Skills Development / Soft Skills > developing personal skills requires awareness and self-knowledge. With this training action you will become aware of the different levels of knowledge for a correct reflection and self-diagnosis, in order to enhance and apply the resources learned to your personal and professional life.

• June 1st, 3rd, 5th and 8th - Small Business Website Creation > understand, plan and know how to create a website, ensuring an online presence capable of attracting new audiences.

• June 2nd, 4th, 16th, 18th and 23rd - Customer Service > develop and improve the ability to receive customers and provide a service with an impact on sales.

• June 2nd, 5th and 9th - Development of Personal Skills / Soft Skills > to be aware of the different levels of knowledge for a correct reflection and self-diagnosis, in order to enhance and apply the resources learned to your personal and professional life.

• June 9th, 12th, 19th and 26th - E-Commerce / Online Sales > to understand the online business model well and to know the opportunities, threats, advantages and disadvantages of a digital sales platform.

• June 15th and 17th - Hygiene and Safety Measures for Shops

• June 16th and 17th - Hygiene and Safety Measures for Hotels and Restaurants

• June 19th, 23rd and 26th - Good Practices - Visual Merchandising / Organization of the store space

• June 22nd, 25th, 29th and 30th - Social Media Management (Facebook, Instagram and Youtube) > Optimize and effectively manage your business social networks for more and better results.

Who may benefit?
Restaurants, cafes, pastry shops, among other catering and hospitality establishments in the city of Porto.

What are the benefits?
This measure allows:
• increase in the areas allowed for the installation of terraces, with new possibilities of extension, based on detailed criteria regarding sizes and implementation, and which must respect the guidelines and regulations for the restaurant sector issued by the health and labor authorities. This increase in the available area will be valid for the existing terraces, but also for new terraces that will be licensed;
• possibility of occupying parking spaces with platforms for terraces, by checking the circulation and security conditions, for establishments where the terrace cannot be installed elsewhere;
• installation of terraces in squares, which was not allowed, for the use of restaurants, or similar establishments, or tourist developments located nearby, even if they are not spatially connected. In these cases, the terrace area may correspond to a maximum of half of the establishment's area for clients.

How to access?
The licenses can be obtained through the form provided at the Virtual Service Desk for this purpose.