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REN: public-interest recognition delegated to the CCDRs
Order No. 11816/2026 (Despacho n.º 11816/2026), published on 28 September, delegates to the boards of Portugal’s five Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDRs) the power to recognise significant public interest (relevante interesse público) for actions within the National Ecological Reserve (REN). The delegation takes effect on 29 September 2026.
What the CCDR can decide
The board of the CCDR responsible for the area can recognise the action’s significant public interest through a formal resolution. Article 21 of the REN legal framework already allowed this delegation; the new order implements it for the five CCDRs.
Where necessary, the resolution sets conditions and measures to minimise the impact on the REN. For the uses and actions listed in Annex II to Portaria n.º 419/2012, these conditions and measures are those defined in an opinion issued by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).
What still needs to be demonstrated
The condition in Article 21 remains: the action must be one that cannot be carried out adequately outside the REN. The delegation alone does not make land developable or authorise building work.
Recognition of significant public interest is also distinct from the rules on uses and actions compatible with the REN under Article 20. The appropriate procedure depends on the proposed intervention and the characteristics of the affected area.
Before starting a project
If the land falls within the REN, first check the current boundaries, the category of area affected and how the proposed intervention fits the rules. Read this alongside the municipal master plan (PDM) and the other constraints affecting the site before developing the design.
Through CertiAmb’s Planning Feasibility Study, we assess what you want to do on the land, the applicable rules and the procedures to consider. Send us the property’s location and a brief description of the proposed intervention.