Company Formation in Portugal for Import and E-Commerce: A Practical Case Note

A recent company formation case showed why setting up a company in Portugal is often more than a simple registration process.

The client wanted to create a Portuguese LDA for an e-commerce business selling physical products in Portugal and potentially across the EU. At first, this looked like a standard company formation project.

But the business model made the setup more complex.

The products were imported from outside the EU. This meant that several operational questions had to be reviewed before and during the company formation process:

• Who will act as importer of record?
• Which CAE codes match the real business activity?
• Does the company only sell online, or also provide wholesale, technical services or after-sales support?
• Are product labelling, CE marking, WEEE or warranty obligations relevant?
• Can the accountant handle e-commerce, VAT, import documentation and payment provider flows?
• Is OSS or IOSS relevant for future EU sales?
• What documents will the bank require before opening the business account?
• What needs to happen after incorporation, including RCBE, Finanças activation and Segurança Social checks?

This is why company formation in Portugal should not be treated as an isolated administrative step.

For import and e-commerce businesses, the company structure needs to match the commercial reality. Otherwise, issues can appear later with accounting, invoicing, customs, banking, VAT or customer support.