diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/GCubePortalConstants.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/GCubePortalConstants.java
index 18f04f6..fa9fd97 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/GCubePortalConstants.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/GCubePortalConstants.java
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ public class GCubePortalConstants {
 	
 	public static final String INFRASTRUCTURE_NAME = "infrastructure";  
 	public static final String SCOPES = "scopes";
+	public static final String PORTAL_APPLICATION_TOKEN = "portalAuthToken";  
+	public static final String ICPROXY_ENDPOINT_URL = "ic-proxy-endpointURL";  
 	public static final String SENDER_EMAIL = "notificationSenderEmail";
 	public static final String GATEWAY_NAME = "portalinstancename";
 	public static final String ADMIN_USERNAME = "administratorUsername";
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java
index 044ab39..58eb8de 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java
@@ -691,6 +691,59 @@ public class PortalContext {
 		return toReturn;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * <p>
+	 *  read the portal application token valid in the root Virtual Organisation into a property file
+	 * </p>
+	 * @return the portal application token valid in the root Virtual Organisation or <code>null</code> if the token could not be found
+	 */
+	public static String getPortalApplicationToken() {
+		//get the portles to look for from the property file
+		Properties props = new Properties();
+		String toReturn = "";
+
+		try {
+			String propertyfile = getCatalinaHome() + File.separator + "conf" + File.separator + "gcube-data.properties";			
+			File propsFile = new File(propertyfile);
+			FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(propsFile);
+			props.load( fis);
+			toReturn = props.getProperty(GCubePortalConstants.PORTAL_APPLICATION_TOKEN);
+		}
+		//catch exception in case properties file does not exist
+		catch(IOException e) {
+			toReturn = null;
+			_log.error("gcube-data.properties file or portal app token not found under $CATALINA_HOME/conf dir, please add the property and or a valid token: " + GCubePortalConstants.PORTAL_APPLICATION_TOKEN);
+			return toReturn;
+		}
+		return toReturn;
+	}
+	/**
+	 * <p>
+	 *  read the IC Proxy endpoint from a property file, IC Proxy is needed to query the Information System via REST
+	 *  e.g. http://dev.d4science.org:8080/icproxy/gcube/service
+	 * </p>
+	 * @return the IC Proxy endpoint or <code>null</code> if the IC Proxy could not be found
+	 */
+	public static String getICProxyEndPoint() {
+		//get the portles to look for from the property file
+		Properties props = new Properties();
+		String toReturn = "";
+
+		try {
+			String propertyfile = getCatalinaHome() + File.separator + "conf" + File.separator + "gcube-data.properties";			
+			File propsFile = new File(propertyfile);
+			FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(propsFile);
+			props.load( fis);
+			toReturn = props.getProperty(GCubePortalConstants.ICPROXY_ENDPOINT_URL);
+		}
+		//catch exception in case properties file does not exist
+		catch(IOException e) {
+			toReturn = null;
+			_log.error("gcube-data.properties file or portal app token not found under $CATALINA_HOME/conf dir, please add the property and or a valid token: " + GCubePortalConstants.PORTAL_APPLICATION_TOKEN);
+			return toReturn;
+		}
+		return toReturn;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * read the sender (from) email address for notifications name from a property file and returns it
@@ -865,6 +918,8 @@ public class PortalContext {
 		}		
 		return -1L;
 	}
+	
+	
 
 
 	/**