Infarmed Holds Firm: Portugal Cuts Export Certificate Processing to 12 Days
Portugal’s drug regulatory authority Infarmed is maintaining its rigorous approach to the medical cannabis sector. At the Portugal Medical Cannabis conference in Lisbon on September 10, 2026, the agency defended its recent suspensions and license revocations while announcing significant progress: export certificates that once took two to three months now take just twelve days. For Germany, this matters considerably—Portugal was the second-largest supplier of medical cannabis flower in 2025.
📑 Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Infarmed Holds Firm: Portugal Cuts Export Certificate Processing to 12 Days
- Infarmed: Documentation Issues, Not Product Quality
- The Background: Investigations Into Falsified Import Certificates
- New Platform: Export Certificates in Twelve Days
- What This Means for German Supply
- Frequently Asked Questions
- 💬 Fragen? Frag den Hanf-Buddy!
This update builds on our earlier reporting about parliamentary inquiries into Infarmed licenses and CBD seizures from August, when it emerged that roughly one-third of license holders had lost their status within a single quarter. Now the agency has publicly laid out its rationale.
Infarmed: Documentation Issues, Not Product Quality
Vasco Bettencourt, head of Infarmed’s licensing division, attributed the enforcement actions primarily to deficiencies in record-keeping and traceability, according to industry publication Business of Cannabis. The quality of the product itself was not the trigger. He characterized suspensions and revocations as legal tools necessary for enforcing regulatory requirements.
The authority has tightened oversight of traceability, waste disposal, and the qualification of customers and suppliers. Ana Rita Martins, a GMP inspector at Infarmed, added that inspections now encompass established operators—previously, focus centered on new applicants. On June 26, 2026, Health State Secretary Ana Povo had already announced corrective measures designed to strengthen inspection capacity.
The Background: Investigations Into Falsified Import Certificates
The crackdown has historical roots. In May 2025, Portugal’s Criminal Police made public Operation „Erva Daninha,“ which we reported as a crackdown on an illegal medical cannabis network. Charges have now been filed against 24 defendants, including 13 individuals and 11 companies. Allegations include criminal conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering, and document forgery. All defendants are presumed innocent.
According to prosecutors, import certificates for shipments to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea-Bissau, and Kenya were fabricated. One document reportedly bore the date „February 30, 2024.“ For Congo, a total of 5,533 kilograms was declared in 2024 and 2025 despite no corresponding imports being recorded there. Kenya received 357 kilograms despite an authorized estimate of just 300 grams.
New Platform: Export Certificates in Twelve Days
The good news for the industry concerns processing times. Since early 2026, a national system for controlled and psychotropic substances has been operational, through which Infarmed now issues import and export certificates. According to Bettencourt, processing has dropped to twelve days, with further reductions planned. By comparison, Business of Cannabis noted that Switzerland issues such approvals within 28 hours.
A new reporting model with quarterly submissions took effect in June. Infarmed reports having held more than 14 meetings with licensed companies to implement the requirements. Exports remained robust despite the upheaval: Portugal shipped 79,883 kilograms in 2025, and roughly 66,000 kilograms in the first half of 2026. Domestically, only 7,023 prescriptions were recorded in 2025.
What This Means for German Supply
Germany imported approximately 201 tons of medical cannabis flower in 2025 according to BfArM data. Of this, 55,164 kilograms came from Portugal—only Canada supplied more with 93,006 kilograms. The volatility of quarterly figures was recently demonstrated by the BfArM correction of import data for Q1 2026. Additionally, some Canadian flower reaches Europe via Portugal. However, Canadian flower exports to Portugal have collapsed by 86.6 percent since their peak in April 2025.
Supply shortages for medical cannabis are nothing new in Germany, as evidenced by ongoing debates about persistent supply bottlenecks from earlier years. Even then, questions arose about how much cultivation area Germany would need. Today, the situation hinges more on approval pathways and verification chains than on acreage.
This connects directly to German policy debates. Hesse is already examining whether the current import model remains adequate—we’ve covered this under the term GMP-washing. When Portugal takes traceability and supplier qualification more seriously, it strengthens the verification chain for German importers too. In the short term, however, stricter reviews can delay shipments. Whether accelerated certificate turnaround will slow Portugal’s decline as Europe’s cannabis processing hub will only become clear from import figures in coming quarters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Infarmed?
Infarmed is Portugal’s national authority for medicines and health products. It issues licenses for the cultivation, processing, import, and export of medical cannabis, and also issues the certificates without which product cannot be shipped abroad.
Why did Infarmed suspend or revoke licenses?
According to the agency, the issues centered on documentation and traceability deficiencies. Product quality was not the problem. The tighter oversight was prompted by criminal investigations into allegedly falsified import certificates.
How long does an export certificate take in Portugal now?
According to Infarmed, certificates are now issued via the new national platform in approximately twelve days. Previously, it took two to three months. The authority intends to shorten the timeframe further.
How important is Portugal for German cannabis patients?
Very important. At just over 55 tons, more than a quarter of medical cannabis flower imported into Germany in 2025 came from Portugal. Delays in Portuguese approvals can therefore affect strain availability and delivery times in German pharmacies.
Have the defendants in Operation „Erva Daninha“ been convicted?
No. Charges have been filed against 24 defendants, but no verdict has been reached to our knowledge. Until a final court decision, all defendants are presumed innocent.
Sources: Business of Cannabis (Portugal Medical Cannabis conference report, Lisbon, September 10, 2026), Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (2025 import statistics), Assembleia da República.
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