Press Release 12/2025
December, 23, 2025

The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) is investigating an alleged abuse of a dominant position in the national market for online real estate advertising portals, which is reported to have occurred between 2022 and 2024, involving the leading business group operating in this segment in Portugal.
The investigation focuses on practices that are alleged to have restricted access to the dominant online real estate advertising portal for certain real estate agencies that used the customer relationship management (CRM) software of a competitor. 
These restrictions are alleged to have been applied with the aim of excluding that competitor from the market.
Real estate CRM software is used by real estate agencies, among other functions, to export listings to online real estate portals and to manage their property and client portfolios.
The commercial relationships at issue can be schematically represented as follows:

As a result of the investigation, the AdC has issued a Statement of Objections to the company owning the dominant portal, its parent company, as well as to three individuals with management/directorial responsibilities, on the grounds that there is a reasonable likelihood that an infringement decision may be adopted.
The investigation
The investigation was launched on 20 December 2023, following the submission of a complaint, which led to indications that the business group concerned may have been engaging in a set of practices restrictive of competition.
In the investigative phase now under way, the AdC provides the undertakings and natural persons concerned — who benefit from the presumption of innocence — with the opportunity to exercise their rights of defence and to be heard in relation to the conduct under investigation, the evidence gathered and the potential sanctions they may face.
Once this phase has been concluded, the AdC will adopt a final decision.
Abuse of a dominant position
An abuse of a dominant position occurs when an undertaking unlawfully uses the significant economic power it holds in a market, with a negative impact on competitors or consumers.
Unlike agreements and decisions by associations of undertakings, which involve two or more economic operators engaging in an anti-competitive practice, an abuse of a dominant position is, as a rule, carried out by a single operator.
A practice may constitute an abuse of a dominant position where an undertaking, for example:
•    imposes unfair trading conditions.
•    engages in margin squeeze practices.
•    applies predatory pricing.
•    refuses to supply goods or services.
•    discriminates against other undertakings.
Further information on this type of practice is available on the AdC’s website.
Enhancing awareness among public and private stakeholders of the importance of competition in digital markets, as well as the detection and investigation of abuses of a dominant position, continue to be among the AdC’s priorities, as these practices occur in sectors of high economic relevance and have a direct impact on consumers.