"Weighing the negative impacts identified, generally susceptible to minimization, and the significant positive impacts expected, a conditional favourable decision is issued", according to Público newspaper.

With the decision, the APA conditions the favorable opinion on the adoption of specific route alternatives, namely route alternatives 1.3 ILAB (interconnection with the North Line A-B) in section 1 (it runs through the municipalities of Oliveira do Bairro, Aveiro, Albergaria- a-Velha, Estarreja, Oliveira de Azeméis) and alternative 2.4 on section 2 (it runs through Estarreja, Oliveira de Azeméis, Ovar and Santa Maria da Feira).

Upon arrival in Porto, alternative 3.3 is imposed on section 3 (Espinho and Vila Nova de Gaia, including a variant of 14.6 kilometers in Gaia, mostly in a tunnel) and alternative 4.1 on section 4 (Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto, the single proposal, which includes the new road-rail bridge over the Douro).

The proposed alternatives follow those suggested in the Environmental Impact Study (EIA), except in section 2, in which "the 2.4V alternative was considered environmentally more favorable in view of the smaller allocation of inhabited buildings, despite interfering with areas affected by the detailed plan of the Ovar-Sul Business Park and the Acaíl Solar Power Plant, when compared with the 2.5V alternative, selected by the EIA".

The implementation of a Social Impacts Management Program (PGIS) is planned, which "should define, according to the studies carried out and for each situation, the compensation measure", which in terms of housing should cover the "relocation of affected families in their own housing, dignified and similar to their home in the original situation, respecting and allowing the maintenance of their way of life".

"In cases of more disadvantaged and vulnerable households where the expropriation value of resources (for example, housing) is insufficient for the acquisition of functionally similar resources, compensation values must be increased", and in case they are only tenants, "should be supported in finding alternative situations".