Decree-Law No. 66/2017 establishing the legal regime for the recognition of forest management entities (EGF).

This Decree-Law, consisting of 15 articles, establishes the legal regime for the recognition of forest management entities (EGF), which are private companies incorporated under the terms of the Cooperative Code or under the Commercial Companies Code, whose corporate purpose is forestry management and exploitation. The EGF aims at promoting and facilitating the joint management of forest areas, preferably in the small parcels, according to the principles of sustainable forest management, through the constitution of exploration areas that allow the valuation and adequate profitability of the related assets. Recognized EGFs have a maximum period of two years from the date of their recognition to start the forest certification process, within the framework of internationally accepted certification systems, namely the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and must obtain their certificate by the end of the third year of recognition.