The Portuguese Government decided to transfer to the Authority for Mobility and Transport (AMT) the railway safety competencies currently exercised by the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT). The change is contained in Decree-Law No. 179/2026, published in the Official Gazette, which determines that AMT assumes the functions of National Railway Safety Authority, including updating technical regulations and monitoring safety management of the infrastructure. The exception is matters relating to planning and licensing of operator access to rail transport.
The transition is not immediate, with the decree taking effect on the first business day of the month following publication, with a 90-day period for the transfer of competencies and resources. The process covers IMT workers assigned to the Transport Equipment and Infrastructure Department and the Training and Certification Department. IMT will continue, however, to perform functions in the railway sector, namely in supporting strategic planning and evaluating the National Railway Network.
The reorganization takes place during the certification phase of the new railway connection between Évora and Elvas/border, integrated into the South International Corridor. Infraestruturas de Portugal has been conducting dynamic tests on the infrastructure and plans to submit to the National Railway Safety Authority, by the end of September, the Intermediate Verification Statements relating to the Infrastructure and Energy subsystems. The interoperability certification process by a Notified Body is also underway.
The Ministry of Infrastructure acknowledges the existence of constraints, including theft and acts of vandalism in catenary equipment, signaling and telecommunications, as well as difficulties in hiring independent external entities due to the limited availability of these companies in Portugal and the existing demand in other European projects. The decree does not establish the suspension of certification processes nor allows concluding that the reorganization causes new delays.
