As part of JusGov’s research project on the legal concept of non-governmental organisations in Portugal—coordinated by Andreia Sofia Pinto Oliveira and featuring Ana Rodrigues, Joana Gil Carvalho, João Vilas Boas Pinto, and Robert Junqueira on the team—a working meeting was held on 20 November 2025 at the School of Law of the University of Minho with a group of strategic stakeholders, including Frederico Santos, Isabel Fonseca, Joana Cymbron, Paula Veiga, Paulo Morujão, Raquel Campos Franco, and Tiago Lopes de Azevedo. The meeting enabled the team to present and discuss the first draft of the policy brief developed under the project “Policy Brief: The Concept of NGOs in Portugal”, funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
The discussion highlighted the breadth and complexity of the topic, shaped by the absence of a unified legal definition of NGO in the Portuguese legal order and the proliferation of sector-specific regimes, in contrast with consolidated approaches in other European countries. The exchange of views between researchers and practitioners allowed for a deeper exploration of core issues concerning the legal, economic, and institutional characterisation of the third sector, drawing on field experience and the diverse perspectives represented in the session.
This dialogue reflects the commitment of the JusGov community to research that is both scientifically robust and socially grounded, reinforcing the Centre’s role as a space where scholarly production, institutional diagnosis, and collaborative policy-making converge. The active engagement of stakeholders constitutes an essential step towards cultivating a more coherent legal ecosystem capable of sustaining the development of NGOs in Portugal and contributing to more open and effective governance.
As part of JusGov’s research project on the legal concept of non-governmental organisations in Portugal—coordinated by Andreia Sofia Pinto Oliveira and featuring Ana Rodrigues, Joana Gil Carvalho, João Vilas Boas Pinto, and Robert Junqueira on the team—a working meeting was held on 20 November 2025 at the School of Law of the University of Minho with a group of strategic stakeholders, including Frederico Santos, Isabel Fonseca, Joana Cymbron, Paula Veiga, Paulo Morujão, Raquel Campos Franco, and Tiago Lopes de Azevedo. The meeting enabled the team to present and discuss the first draft of the policy brief developed under the project “Policy Brief: The Concept of NGOs in Portugal”, funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
The discussion highlighted the breadth and complexity of the topic, shaped by the absence of a unified legal definition of NGO in the Portuguese legal order and the proliferation of sector-specific regimes, in contrast with consolidated approaches in other European countries. The exchange of views between researchers and practitioners allowed for a deeper exploration of core issues concerning the legal, economic, and institutional characterisation of the third sector, drawing on field experience and the diverse perspectives represented in the session.
This dialogue reflects the commitment of the JusGov community to research that is both scientifically robust and socially grounded, reinforcing the Centre’s role as a space where scholarly production, institutional diagnosis, and collaborative policy-making converge. The active engagement of stakeholders constitutes an essential step towards cultivating a more coherent legal ecosystem capable of sustaining the development of NGOs in Portugal and contributing to more open and effective governance.