Discusses opportunities for U.S. franchisers and legal requirements in the market.
Last Published: 11/19/2019

Franchising

Overall, the economic climate in Portugal is open to franchises, especially for new and innovative concepts. The outlook for the franchise sector continues to be fairly positive, mainly due to the number of outlets and shopping malls in the country. There are about 610 franchises operating in the market. Local franchisors represent 66% of the total market share, followed by Spain with 18% and the U.S. with 5%).  Portugal continues to offer opportunities for expansion and the market still has room for new, internationally known franchising concepts.
U.S. businesses looking to franchise within the European Union will likely find that the market is quite robust and friendly to franchise systems in general. There are a number of laws that govern the operation of franchises within the EU, but these laws are fairly broad and generally do not constrain the competitive position of U.S. businesses.  The potential franchiser should take care to look not only at the EU regulations, but also at the local laws concerning franchising.  More information on specific legislation can be found on the website of the European Franchise Federation: http://www.eff-franchise.com/;  https://associacaofranchising.pt

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.