About ERC

The Portuguese Regulatory Authority for the Media (ERC) was established by Law No. 53/2005 of 8 November and is the body responsible for regulating and monitoring all entities carrying out media activities in Portugal. ERC is a legal person governed by public law and has administrative and financial autonomy, as well as its own assets. It is therefore an independent administrative entity.

All entities carrying out media activities under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese State are subject to the supervision and intervention of ERC’s Regulatory Board, namely:
a) News agencies.
b) Natural or legal persons releasing periodicals, regardless of their means of distribution;
c) Radio and television broadcasters, in particular programme services or supplementary contents provided under their editorial responsibility by any means, including by electronic communications networks;
d) Natural or legal persons providing radio or television programme services to the public by means of electronic communications networks, in so far as it is for them to decide on the organisation and aggregation of such programme services;
e) Natural or legal persons regularly providing the public with content submitted to their editorial control and forming a coherent whole by means of electronic communications networks.

ERC’s organisational structure comprises: a Regulatory Board, an Executive Directorate, an Advisory Council and an Auditor. The Regulatory Board is the collegiate body responsible for defining and implementing ERC’s regulatory activity.

The Regulatory Board is composed of 5 members. The Assembly of the Republic designates four of the members of the Regulatory Board. They are then responsible for co-opting (choosing) the fifth member.

The members of the Regulatory Board are appointed for a five-year non-renewable term of office. They remain in office until a replacement is provided or until their term of office ends.

No. The Regulatory Board acts by a majority of its members and a vote in favour by three members is required in all cases.

ERC’s Executive Directorate comprises: the President, Vice-President and Executive Director.

ERC’S budget consists of funds from State Budget and from its own revenue, namely fees charged to entities carrying out media activities. The budget also comprises an amount transferred from the net profit for each financial year of ANACOM (the Portuguese communications regulator).

To make a complaint about any conduct which might violate rights, freedoms, and guarantees or laws and regulations applicable to media activities, you may: send it by fax (+351 210 107 019), by post (Av.24 de Julho, 58, 1200-869 Lisboa – Portugal), by e-mail (info@erc.pt) or fill out our online form. The complaint must refer your name, address, e-mail, and age, as well as a brief description of the facts relating to the complaint.

ERC is open to the public from 9.30am to 12.30pm and 14.00pm to 17.00pm (Monday to Thursday) and from 9.30am to 13.00pm (Friday). At Fridays, the public information desk is only open by prior appointment.

Yes. You have 30 days to make a complaint from the date on which the facts on which you base your complaint came to your attention and no later than 120 days after the alleged infringement.