On 19 May 2017, the NOC of Portugal officially became a bilateral partner of the EOC EU Office. This partnership was formalised through the signing of the partnership agreement at the occasion of the EOC Seminar in Skopje, FYROM. The NOC of Portugal was represented by General Director Joao Almeida whereas the EOC was represented by acting President Janez Kocijancic. EOC EU Office Director Folker Hellmund also took part in the signature ceremony.
The partnership between the NOC of Portugal and the EOC EU Office is the next step in a fruitful and regular collaboration that has started during the previous Olympic cycle. One concrete example was the cooperation in the framework of the SIGGS-Project of the EOC EU Office.
President Kocijancic expressed his satisfaction with the partnership by stating that this new agreement clearly demonstrates the European-wide network of the EOC EU Office as the geographical scope is now further expanded to include the most South-Western country of the EOC.
For the EOC EU Office, the NOC of Portugal is the 11th NOC to become an official bilateral partner and the 26th partner organisation overall.