Margarida Fonseca
Director of Documentation Services
Fifteen years in export compliance across Portuguese manufacturing and agri-food sectors. Specialist in UK post-Brexit documentation requirements and EUR.1 origin certification.
Porto · Portugal
Every Document.
Every Destination.
Done Right.
Export documentation preparation for Portuguese SMEs — commercial invoices, certificates of origin, customs declarations, CMR notes and more. We handle the paperwork so your goods move.
Document preparation service — we are not a customs broker and do not operate freight transport.
Commercial Invoices
Packing Lists
Certificates of Origin
Customs Declarations
CMR Notes
Intrastat Filings
Who We Serve
Built for Portuguese Exporters Who Move Goods, Not Paperwork
Many Portuguese SMEs export consistently but not at the volume that justifies hiring a full-time logistics coordinator. The paperwork still needs to be done — and done correctly — every time a shipment leaves.
ClearNotarium was established specifically for this gap. We prepare the full set of export documents your shipment requires: the commercial invoice structured to the importing country's requirements, the packing list that customs officers can actually use, the certificate of origin prepared through the correct issuing body, and the CMR consignment note completed for road transport.
We work with exporters across sectors — food and beverage, industrial components, textiles, consumer goods — wherever the documentation requirements are non-trivial and errors have real consequences at the border.
Learn about our approach
Specialist Markets
Where Documentation Requirements Change Frequently
Market 01
United Kingdom Post-Brexit
Since the UK left the EU's single market, exports from Portugal to the UK require a full customs export declaration, commodity codes, proof of preferential origin under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and correct Incoterms documentation. Requirements have continued to evolve as HMRC refines its border operating model.
We track these changes as part of our standard practice, so your documents reflect current requirements — not last year's procedure.
- Export customs declarations (EX-A)
- Proof of preferential origin documentation
- Commodity code verification support
- Incoterms-aligned commercial invoices
Market 02
PALOP Countries
Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe — each presents distinct documentation requirements that go beyond standard EU export practice. Consular legalisation, specific certificate of origin formats, and import licence requirements vary by country and by product category.
Our familiarity with PALOP documentation pathways means we know which documents need consular endorsement, which certificates of origin are accepted, and where the procedural differences lie between markets.
- Country-specific certificate of origin formats
- Consular legalisation document preparation
- Phytosanitary and health certificate coordination
- Portuguese-language document sets
Market 03
North African Markets
Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt each maintain their own import documentation requirements, which can include specific invoice formats, consular visa requirements, Arabic translations of key fields, and conformity certificates for regulated product categories.
Documentation errors in these markets frequently result in goods being held at port pending correction — a process that can take weeks. Correct documentation from the outset is the practical solution.
- EUR.1 and Form A certificates of origin
- Invoice legalisation preparation
- Conformity and quality certificate support
- Country-specific packing list formats
What We Prepare
The Documents That Keep Shipments Moving
Commercial Invoice
The commercial invoice is the primary document in any international shipment — it establishes the transaction value for customs assessment, identifies the parties, describes the goods, and states the applicable Incoterms. Errors in the invoice cascade into problems across every other document in the set.
We prepare commercial invoices structured to the specific requirements of the destination market, including the correct field order, required declarations (such as EUR.1 origin statements for preference claims), and the commodity descriptions that customs authorities expect to see.
Incoterms alignment
Invoice terms match transport contract and risk transfer point
Customs value
Transaction value correctly presented per destination country requirements
Origin statements
Preference claims and origin declarations included where applicable
Packing List
The packing list provides customs officers and freight handlers with the physical breakdown of a shipment — number of packages, dimensions, gross and net weights, and the contents of each unit. A well-structured packing list speeds up physical inspection and reduces the likelihood of a shipment being held for verification.
We prepare packing lists that cross-reference correctly with the commercial invoice and are formatted to the standards expected in the destination market, including the level of detail required for goods subject to specific import controls.
Package-level detail
Each carton, pallet or container unit itemised accurately
Weight accuracy
Gross and net weights per line and totals correctly presented
Invoice cross-reference
Line items correspond directly to commercial invoice entries
Certificate of Origin
Certificates of origin are required by most non-EU markets and are used to determine whether goods qualify for preferential tariff treatment under trade agreements, or simply to establish the country of manufacture for import licensing purposes. The wrong format, or a certificate with incorrect fields, can result in the preferential duty rate being refused.
We prepare EUR.1 movement certificates, Form A (GSP) certificates, and standard certificates of origin for submission to the relevant issuing body — the Chamber of Commerce or AICEP — with all fields correctly completed based on your product's origin status.
EUR.1 certificates
For preferential origin claims under EU trade agreements
Form A / GSP
Generalised System of Preferences certificates where applicable
Standard CoO
Non-preferential certificates for markets requiring proof of origin
Customs Declaration
Export customs declarations are required for shipments leaving the EU's customs territory. The declaration must include the correct commodity code (CN8), customs value, origin, and applicable procedure codes. Errors in the declaration can result in goods being stopped at the border or, in some cases, penalties for incorrect declarations.
We prepare the documentation package that supports the export declaration — the information sets, value declarations, and supporting documents — working alongside the customs broker or freight agent who submits the declaration electronically to the Portuguese customs authority (AT).
Commodity codes
CN8 codes verified against the current Combined Nomenclature
Supporting documents
Complete document set assembled for declaration submission
Value declarations
DV1 and customs value documentation where required
CMR Consignment Note
The CMR consignment note is the contract of carriage for international road transport, governed by the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road. It defines the parties, describes the goods, records the transport conditions, and establishes liability. An incorrectly completed CMR can create disputes over liability and delay delivery.
We prepare CMR notes with all required fields correctly completed, cross-referenced to the commercial invoice and packing list, and structured to reflect the actual transport arrangement between the shipper and carrier.
All CMR fields
Sender, recipient, carrier, goods description and special instructions
Liability notes
Reservations and conditions correctly recorded where applicable
Document alignment
CMR cross-referenced to invoice and packing list
Intrastat Filings
Intrastat is the system for collecting statistics on the movement of goods between EU member states. Portuguese companies that exceed the reporting threshold are required to submit monthly Intrastat declarations to INE (Instituto Nacional de Estatística). Late or incorrect filings can attract penalties.
We prepare Intrastat declaration data from your shipment records — matching commodity codes, values, weights, and partner country information — ready for submission through the Intrastat portal. We handle both dispatches (expedições) and arrivals (chegadas) declarations.
Monthly preparation
Declaration data compiled from your shipment records each period
CN8 code matching
Commodity codes verified and applied to each product line
Dispatches and arrivals
Both expedition and arrival declarations prepared as required
The Team
People Who Know the Documents
Our team combines backgrounds in international trade compliance, logistics administration and customs procedure. Each member works across specific market specialisms.
Carlos Mendonça
PALOP & Africa Markets Specialist
Extensive background in PALOP trade documentation including consular legalisation procedures for Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde. Fluent in Portuguese and French.
Sofia Almeida
Customs Documentation Analyst
Specialist in customs declaration document preparation and Intrastat filings. Experienced with the Portuguese AT customs portal and INE Intrastat reporting system.
Nuno Carvalho
North Africa Documentation Coordinator
Focused on documentation for Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria markets. Familiar with invoice legalisation requirements, conformity certificates and the specific import document expectations of North African customs authorities.
Process
How the Documentation Process Works
Send Us Your Shipment Details
You provide the commercial details of your shipment — buyer, goods, values, quantities, destination, transport mode and any specific requirements. We confirm what documentation your shipment requires.
We Prepare the Document Set
We prepare each document in the required format for the destination market — commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, CMR note and any additional documents the shipment requires.
Review and Confirm
You review the completed documents. We incorporate any corrections and confirm the final set is complete and consistent across all documents before your shipment departs.
Documents Delivered
Final documents delivered in the formats you need — PDF for digital submission, print-ready files for physical documents, and editable formats where required by your freight agent or carrier.
Service Packages
Structured to Match Your Export Frequency
We offer three service arrangements depending on how frequently you export and the complexity of your documentation requirements.
Per-Shipment
For occasional exporters
Full document set prepared for each individual shipment. Suitable for exporters with irregular or seasonal export activity.
See DetailsMonthly Retainer
For regular exporters
A set number of document sets per month with priority turnaround. Includes Intrastat filing preparation and ongoing market requirement monitoring.
See DetailsAnnual Programme
For established exporters
Full-year documentation programme with dedicated contact, unlimited document sets within agreed scope, and regulatory update briefings.
See Details