Portugal grants municipal assemblies authority over expropriation declarations

Portugal has amended its Expropriation Code (decree‑law 160/2026) to allow municipal assemblies to declare the public utility of expropriation projects. The change, published on 4 August, shifts the decision‑making from the central government to locally elected bodies, aiming to speed up projects such as schools, cemeteries and road works that previously faced months‑long delays.

The Associação Nacional de Assembleias Municipais (ANAM) hailed the reform as “a clear signal of confidence of the State in local authorities” and a “decisive step in decentralisation”. ANAM president Fernando Santos Pereira said the new rule will enable faster, territory‑aware responses to public‑interest needs. The measure was announced by the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, and is expected to reduce bureaucracy and improve municipal development.