Contrastaria - Requesting recognition of qualifications to obtain a professional title

This service is aimed at people whose qualifications have been obtained in another Member State. 

The service is used to apply for the recognition of professional qualifications for nationals of a European Union (EU) Member State, or a European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland.

Service channels

Learn where you can carry out the service
  • Request online
    Requesting recognition of qualifications to obtain a professional title

    Issue of professional title: EUR 259.05

Who can contrastaria - Requesting recognition of qualifications to obtain a professional title?

Citizens whose qualifications were obtained in another member state.

What are the documents and requirements to contrastaria - Requesting recognition of qualifications to obtain a professional title?

  • Attestation of competence or evidence of formal qualifications issued in order to gain access to and pursue that profession in your country of origin.
  • Proof of nationality. 
  • Evidence of formal qualifications and evidence of professional experience (indicating the activity and duration), where relevant.
  • Document attesting to your good professional conduct or a declaration on oath or solemn declaration made by you before the competent authority of your home Member State, where relevant for the performance of the role.
  • Document attesting to your health or mental fitness, where relevant for the performance of the role.
  • Proof of financial standing or of liability insurance cover issued by a bank or insurer, respectively, of another Member State, where relevant for the performance of the role.
  • Certificate issued for passing the examination.
  • Photograph.

What is the price to contrastaria - Requesting recognition of qualifications to obtain a professional title?

Issue of professional title: EUR 259.05

How contrastaria - Requesting recognition of qualifications to obtain a professional title?

First you need to complete the form. 

The Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, S.A. (INCM) will then confirm receipt of the form and, if necessary, request any missing documents within 30 days.

A decision on your request should be issued within 90 days.

What is the support legislation?

Legal framework for the jewellery sector and Assay Offices – Law No 98/2015 (amended by Decree-Law 120/2017) 

Ministerial Implementing Order regulating the new Legal framework for the jewellery sector and Assay Offices, approved by Decree-Law No 120/2017 of 15 September – Ministerial Implementing Order No 333-B/2017

Ministerial Implementing Order No 109/2015 regulating and setting the fees for the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for the international trade in rough diamonds

Law No 5/2015 ensuring the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 of 20 December 2002 implementing the Kimberley Process certification scheme for the international trade in rough diamonds

Law No 90/2009 incorporating into national law Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications

Grounds for refusal

If you receive one of the following grounds for refusal, you should provide what is lacking.

Request/communication filed incorrectly – Failure to complete one or more fields on the form which, in the case of mandatory fields, prevents the submission of the request/communication.

Unclear request/communication – A lack of data that prevents the proper assessment of the request/communication, as a result of the way in which it is written or erasures.  

Non-payment of the request/communication fee – Failure to pay any fee, charge or costs set for the request/communication.

Ways of challenging a decision / Complaints to the Ombudsman

Call for provision of information, access to files or issue of certificates

  • Appeal to a higher body or to a supervisory body 
    • This should be addressed to the highest superior of the authority that issued the decision. If the author of the decision is the competent authority to make the decision, the appeal should be lodged with them.
    • If the appeal is required in order to bring an action before the administrative court, it should be lodged within 30 days of the applicant being notified of the decision. In all other situations, the time limit for lodging the appeal is the same as that laid down for filing a court action.
    • Where there are other interested parties, the author of the decision has 15 or 30 days to decide on the appeal and refer it to the competent body, which must provide its decision within 30 days of being referred the case. This period may be extended to up to 90 days.
    • When the appeal is required for bringing an action before the administrative court, the decision issued shall have no effect. In the case of an optional appeal, suspension of the decision shall only take effect if it is considered that its immediate enforcement would cause damage that is irreparable or difficult to redress for the operator lodging the appeal and if such a suspension would not cause greater harm to the public interest.
    • If an appeal to a higher body that was required for procedural purposes is dismissed or where no decision has been made within the time limit, the applicant may challenge the decision on their application before a court or assert their right to receive a decision on their appeal from the relevant authority.
  • Complaints
    • You can lodge a complaint with the department that issued the decision within 15 days of being notified of that decision.
    • The authority has 30 days to reply to your complaint. Should this involve a complaint required for procedural purposes, and where no decision has been made within the time limit, the operator submitting the complaint may employ suitable legal means to seek a favourable decision.

It should be noted that when the complaint is required for subsequent submission in an administrative court dispute, the effects of the decision issued are suspended.

In the case of an optional complaint, suspension shall only take effect if the competent body considers that its immediate enforcement would cause damage that is irreparable or difficult to redress for the operator submitting the complaint and if such a suspension would not cause greater harm to the public interest.

  • SOLVIT centre

You can send a message regarding the decision to a SOLVIT centre.

 

Obligations

Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, S.A. (INCM) is responsible for allowing access to and pursuit of the following professions:

  1. Valuer of precious metal articles and gemmological materials.
  2. Precious metal article assayer-melter technical manager.
  3. Rough diamond expert / classifier / valuer.

If an applicant's professional title was obtained after training that was received, in whole or in part, in a Member State other than the one in which their professional title was issued, the INCM may, if there is any doubt, verify whether the applicant can pursue the same profession in Portugal. 

Who to contact

Lisbon Assay Office

Address: Edifício Casa da Moeda - Avenida António José de Almeida, 1000-042 Lisbon

Telephone number: 21 781 08 70

Email: contrastarias@incm.pt

Hours: Monday to Friday, from 9.00 to 16.30

Website address: www.contrastaria.pt

 

Porto Assay Office

Address: Rua Visconde de Bóbeda, 4000-109 Porto

Telephone number: 21 781 08 70

Email: contrastarias@incm.pt

Hours: Monday to Friday, from 9.00 to 16.30

Website address: www.contrastaria.pt

 

 

 

Delegation in Gondomar

Address: Edifício Goldpark Gondomar, Rua Parque Tecnológico, s/n, 4420-330 Gondomar

Telephone number: 21 781 08 70

Email: contrastarias@incm.pt

Hours: Monday to Friday, from 9.00 to 16.30

Website address: www.contrastaria.pt