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Governance

Who decides what at APMLS.

Five elected bodies with powers set by the Statutes, plus a set of support structures created by the Board. Each with a clear remit — and equally clear limits.

Statutes approved at the General Assembly of 17/04/2026 · three-year mandates

APMLS distinguishes between elected statutory bodies, whose powers come from the Statutes, and support structures created by the Board for technical work. The registered Statutes and the rules approved in General Assembly always prevail over this page as to composition, mandates and election rules.

Statutory bodies

The bodies of the Association are the General Assembly, the Board, the Supervisory Board, the Disciplinary Council and the Ethics Committee (Art. 10). Officers are elected at an Electoral Assembly for three-year mandates and may be re-elected.

01

General Assembly

All members in full standing

The supreme and sovereign body of the Association. It legitimises the whole structure: the Board manages, but within the guidance, budgets and rules approved by the members. It meets at least twice a year — by 31 March for the previous year's accounts and by 30 November for the budget and activity plan.

Responsibilities
✓ Elect and remove the officers of the association's bodies.
✓ Approve amendments to the Statutes and decide on winding up the Association.
✓ Approve the Disciplinary Rules, the Code of Conduct and all other regulations.
✓ Decide on dues and fees, their amounts, frequency, exemptions and discounts.
✓ Consider and vote the annual report and accounts.
✓ Decide on the expulsion of members, on a proposal from the Disciplinary Council.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not intervene in the day-to-day management of the Association.
✕ Does not investigate disciplinary cases — it decides only expulsions and appeals.
02

Chair of the General Assembly

Three members: one chair and two secretaries

Ensures that members' meetings, elections and resolutions are valid, impartial and orderly. It is not an executive body: the Chair of the General Assembly is not the Chair of the Board.

Responsibilities
✓ Conduct the proceedings of General and Electoral Assemblies.
✓ Convene the Electoral Assembly and verify the regularity and legality of candidate lists.
✓ Draw up minutes, issue certificates and prepare the chair's paperwork.
✓ Initial the minute books and sign the opening and closing entries.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not run APMLS day to day, nor stand in for the Board.
✕ Must remain neutral during elections and votes.
03

Board

Eight members: Chair, five regional Vice-Chairs, Treasurer and Member

The executive and management body. It turns General Assembly decisions into plans, projects and results. The five Vice-Chairs cover Norte, Centro, Sul, Madeira and Açores, ensuring national reach. It meets monthly and requires at least five members present to resolve.

Responsibilities
✓ Exercise the corporate, administrative and financial management of the Association.
✓ Decide on the admission of new members.
✓ Apply reprimands and suspensions, on a resolution of the Disciplinary Council.
✓ Keep the records of income and expenditure and prepare the annual report and accounts.
✓ Decide how portfolios are shared among its members.
✓ Decide on opening and closing local branches or representations.
Outside its remit
✕ Commitments above five thousand euros, or beyond the current mandate, require a General Assembly resolution.
✕ Cannot expel members — only the General Assembly can, on a Disciplinary Council proposal.
✕ The Association is bound only by the joint signature of the Chair and two other members.
✕ The Chair may not be a partner, manager, representative, employee or collaborator of a licensed brokerage company.
04

Supervisory Board

Three members, one of whom chairs it

Independent of the Board, it audits financial, asset and administrative management. It does not manage the association or make payments: it audits those who do. It meets at least twice a year.

Responsibilities
✓ Audit the administrative and financial acts of the Board.
✓ Audit the accounts and reports of the Association.
✓ Give an opinion on acts that increase expenditure or reduce income.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not manage the association, nor authorise or make payments.
✕ Its members do not hold executive or financial roles on the Board.
05

Disciplinary Council

Chair and eight members elected by the General Assembly

Exercises disciplinary and professional-conduct powers. It examines the facts and adopts reasoned proposals — but does not impose sanctions: reprimands and suspensions are applied by the Board, and expulsion by the General Assembly. It may be assisted by a lawyer of its choosing.

Responsibilities
✓ Impartially examine facts of disciplinary relevance.
✓ Guarantee the member concerned a prior hearing, in a written procedure.
✓ Adopt a reasoned proposal for a recorded reprimand or suspension of up to 180 days.
✓ Adopt a reasoned proposal for expulsion, to be decided by the General Assembly.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not impose sanctions directly.
✕ The procedure must be in writing and last no more than four months.
✕ Decisions may be appealed to the General Assembly.
06

Ethics Committee

Three to five members appointed by the General Assembly

Independently of the other bodies, it oversees the dissemination and observance of the Code of Ethics and conduct standards approved in General Assembly. It is the body that interprets and monitors — not the one that judges.

Responsibilities
✓ Receive and follow up reports of irregularities and breaches of the Code of Ethics.
✓ Consider matters referred to it by the Board and the Disciplinary Council.
✓ Carry out periodic compliance audits and request reports from members.
✓ Propose measures and amendments to the Code of Ethics and conduct standards to the Board.
✓ Submit an annual report to the Board and the General Assembly.
✓ Sit on the Electoral Committee and oversee elections to the association's bodies.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not try breaches or impose sanctions — that is for the Disciplinary Council.
✕ Does not publicly disclose individual cases.

Who decides what

Matter Decides Proposes Audits Advises
Admission of members Board — Supervisory Board —
Reprimand and suspension Board Disciplinary Council — Ethics Committee
Expulsion General Assembly Disciplinary Council — —
Statutes and regulations General Assembly Board — Ethics Committee
Code of Ethics and conduct standards General Assembly Ethics Committee Ethics Committee —
Dues and fees General Assembly Board Supervisory Board —
Annual accounts General Assembly Board Supervisory Board —
Spending up to €5,000 Board — Supervisory Board —
Spending above €5,000 General Assembly Board Supervisory Board —
MLS cooperation rules General Assembly Cooperation Rules Commission — Advisory Council
Technology standards Board Technology Commission — Advisory Council
Elections Members Candidate lists Electoral Committee —

Who may vote and stand

✓ Only members admitted for at least twelve uninterrupted months may vote in elections to the bodies.
✓ No member may stand for or hold more than one office at a time.
✓ The office of Chair of the Board requires having previously completed a full mandate in any of the association's bodies.
✓ The Chair of the Board may not be a partner, manager, representative, employee or collaborator of a licensed real-estate brokerage company.
✓ Voting is secret and electronic, with members segmented by company size: Small (1–10), Medium (11–50) and Large (51 or more).
✓ Each segment casts one vote; no resolution passes without at least two segments converging — no single group decides alone.
✓ A seat on the Advisory Council confers neither a vote nor eligibility for office: a member who is also an effective member votes in their company's segment, with no additional weight from the seat, and may not stand for statutory office while holding it.
Support structures

Created by the Board for technical work and representation. They are not statutory bodies: they do not approve final regulations, do not legally represent APMLS, do not enter into contracts and do not impose sanctions. Each has a written mandate, a coordinator, a calendar and a formal link to a Board member.

07

Advisory Council

A membership category; the seat confers no vote or veto

An institutional space for masters, national franchise owners, brand CEOs and figures of recognised merit. It lets large operators contribute to national strategy without their commercial scale translating into executive, technological or disciplinary control. Advisory members may attend all acts of the Association, including General Assemblies.

Responsibilities
✓ Advise the Board on strategy and market needs.
✓ Bring the perspective of large networks and brands on MLS adoption.
✓ Make non-binding recommendations and anticipate risks for the sector.
Outside its remit
✕ The advisory seat confers no vote or veto at General Assemblies; a member who is also an effective member keeps the vote attaching to that capacity, counted within their segment.
✕ Cannot be elected to office in any of the association's bodies.
✕ Does not receive company- or agent-level data.
✕ Meetings may not be used to coordinate competitive behaviour.
08

Compliance and Best Practice Commission

Being formed

Supports the day-to-day application of ethical and regulatory rules, without investigating or judging individuals.

Responsibilities
✓ Prepare checklists, procedures and preventive actions.
✓ Identify systemic risks and propose process improvements.
✓ Work with the Technology Commission on privacy and data governance.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not impose sanctions or interfere in Disciplinary Council cases.
09

Technology and Innovation Commission

Being formed

Advises on the technology, security, interoperability and data-quality standards a modern MLS requires.

Responsibilities
✓ Define functional requirements and MLS standards.
✓ Propose taxonomies, listing statuses and data-quality rules.
✓ Monitor interoperability with CRMs and portals, and technical audits.
✓ Propose data access and segregation rules.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not build the software or manage the technology provider's team.
✕ Its members have no blanket access to user, listing or client data.
10

Education and Training Commission

Being formed

Develops members' professional capability and ensures MLS participation comes with proper training.

Responsibilities
✓ Create the onboarding programme for new members and the MLS training content.
✓ Propose continuing-education requirements and assess providers and trainers.
✓ Produce manuals, guides and materials, and maintain quality standards.
Outside its remit
✕ Formal accreditation is granted under the approved rules, not by the commission.
11

Communications and Public Affairs Commission

Being formed

Explains to the sector, consumers, institutions and the media what APMLS is, what an MLS is and why structured cooperation benefits the market.

Responsibilities
✓ Prepare the communications plan and manage institutional content.
✓ Coordinate educational campaigns and support sector events.
✓ Prepare crisis messaging and support relations with journalists.
Outside its remit
✕ Official statements on sensitive matters are approved by the Chair or the Board.
12

Cooperation Rules and Market Practice Commission

Being formed

Studies and proposes the practical rules for MLS participation and cooperation between professionals.

Responsibilities
✓ Propose rules for adding, updating and sharing listings.
✓ Define the responsibilities of the listing agent and the buyer's agent.
✓ Prepare rules on viewings, feedback and offers.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not set commission rates, minimum prices or fees.
✕ Does not exchange commercially sensitive information or impose uniform business models.
13

European Expansion and International Relations Commission

Being formed

Prepares APMLS collaboration with international bodies and supports future expansion of the model to other countries.

Responsibilities
✓ Maintain relations with European organisations, notably CEPI.
✓ Identify MLS associations in other countries and study international standards.
✓ Prepare international protocols and analyse legal and cultural differences.
Outside its remit
✕ May negotiate preliminary proposals, but cannot bind APMLS without Board approval.
14

Institutional Relations

A portfolio or support role, not a separate body

Maintains APMLS relations with sector associations, public bodies, universities, municipalities and European organisations.

Responsibilities
✓ Maintain the stakeholder map and the record of meetings and commitments.
✓ Prepare institutional meetings and briefings for the Chair.
✓ Represent APMLS where expressly delegated.
Outside its remit
✕ Does not make political, financial or legal commitments without authorisation.
15

APMLS Ambassadors

An honorary, representative role

Promote the mission, values and institutional presence of APMLS in the sector and professional communities. They are not Board members unless they lawfully hold another office.

Responsibilities
✓ Communicate APMLS principles and take part in events.
✓ Introduce the association to potential partners and support regional initiatives.
✓ Use only approved institutional messaging.
Outside its remit
✕ Do not sign contracts, admit members or promise accreditations.
✕ Do not speak officially on sensitive matters without authorisation.
✕ Coaches, trainers, speakers and event partners are not automatically ambassadors.

APMLS and Sync MLS: what each one decides

Matter APMLS Sync MLS
Who is a member Decides Does not decide
Disciplinary cases Decides No involvement
Accreditation criteria Sets No involvement
Cooperation rules and data standards Sets Implements in the system
Platform development No involvement in the code Builds
Hosting, security and support Does not operate Operates
Integrations and reporting Authorises the scope Delivers
Data access Sets the rules Applies the profiles
Service levels Contracts and monitors Complies

APMLS and Sync MLS

The difference between the two entities, access, payment and benefits.

Read the explanation →
🕐 Holding office in an APMLS body grants neither platform administration nor data access: access follows functional need, never institutional title.

How to take part

✓ The six specialised commissions are being formed and are open to applications from members.
✓ The APMLS Ambassador role is also open to application.
✓ Applications are made through a form, stating the body sought, relevant experience and motivation.
✓ Statutory bodies are not filled by application: they are elected at an Electoral Assembly, by list.

Apply to a commission

Tell us the body, your experience and your motivation. The Board reviews every application and replies to all of them.

Open the form →

Who sits on the statutory bodies

The named composition of the elected bodies, with backgrounds and responsibilities.

See the Board →
APMLS

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