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The Portugal Brief

The Portugal Brief

Galp's 2025-2026 Billing System Migration Leaves 2% of the Customer Book Unbilled Eight Months In — Households Receive €400-€800 Accumulated Bundles in May, DECO Reminds Clients of the Six-Month Prescription Rule and the Optional-Payment-Plan Right

Galp's 2025-2026 Billing System Migration Leaves 2% of the Customer Book Unbilled Eight Months In — Households Receive €400-€800 Accumulated Bundles in May, DECO Reminds Clients of the Six-Month Prescription Rule and the Optional-Payment-Plan Right

Galp customers are receiving accumulated electricity-and-gas invoices of €400-€800 in May 2026 after the late-2025 billing-platform migration left roughly 2% of the customer book unbilled. DECO reminds clients the six-month prescription rule and the optional-payment-plan right both apply.
The Portugal Brief
Constitutional Court Strikes Down Portaria 230/2019 on the RNH 'Atividades de Elevado Valor Acrescentado' Table — Reserva de Lei Tributária Bars Government From Defining the 20% IRS-Beneficiary Professions, Says 21 April Acórdão

Constitutional Court Strikes Down Portaria 230/2019 on the RNH 'Atividades de Elevado Valor Acrescentado' Table — Reserva de Lei Tributária Bars Government From Defining the 20% IRS-Beneficiary Professions, Says 21 April Acórdão

Tribunal Constitucional, in an acórdão dated 21 April 2026 made public 14 May, rules Portaria n.º 230/2019 unconstitutional for defining the 'atividades de elevado valor acrescentado' that unlock the RNH 20% IRS rate — reserva de lei tributária forecloses the decree-defined table.
The Portugal Brief
Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence for a Portuguese Carta de Condução in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the 90-Day Rule, the OCDE-and-CPLP Channel, the Convenção de Viena Route, the IMT Médico Attestation and the 'A Minha Carta' Portal

Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence for a Portuguese Carta de Condução in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the 90-Day Rule, the OCDE-and-CPLP Channel, the Convenção de Viena Route, the IMT Médico Attestation and the 'A Minha Carta' Portal

Exchanging a foreign driving licence for a Portuguese Carta de Condução in 2026 — the 90-day rule, the 2-year administrative cliff, the OCDE-and-CPLP reciprocity, the Convenção de Viena route, the IMT médico electronic attestation, the 'A Minha Carta' portal, the €30 fee with 10% online discount.
The Portugal Brief
Filipa Calvão Hands Parliament a 'Verdadeiramente Inconstitucional' Parecer on the Tribunal de Contas Reform Bill on Thursday 14 May — Permanent Commission Says the €10 Million Visto Prévio Carve-Out Opens 'Zonas de Vazio' for Corruption

Filipa Calvão Hands Parliament a 'Verdadeiramente Inconstitucional' Parecer on the Tribunal de Contas Reform Bill on Thursday 14 May — Permanent Commission Says the €10 Million Visto Prévio Carve-Out Opens 'Zonas de Vazio' for Corruption

Thursday 14 May 2026: Tribunal de Contas Comissão Permanente parecer brands the Government's TdC reform bill 'verdadeiramente inconstitucional'; the €10 million visto-prévio carve-out halves external control from €10 bn to €5 bn and opens 'zonas de vazio' for corruption. Debate opens 20 May.
The Portugal Brief
Marcelo Signs the 12-Month Extension of the Storm-Impact Credit Moratoria Into Law on Thursday Evening 14 May — Decree Carries 7,400 Clients and €930 Million in Mortgage and Empresa Credit Through to End-April 2027

Marcelo Signs the 12-Month Extension of the Storm-Impact Credit Moratoria Into Law on Thursday Evening 14 May — Decree Carries 7,400 Clients and €930 Million in Mortgage and Empresa Credit Through to End-April 2027

Thursday evening 14 May 2026: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa promulgates the Government decree extending the storm-impact credit moratoria by 12 months, locking the BdP-tracked 7,400 clients and €930 million in mortgage and empresa credit through to end-April 2027.
The Portugal Brief
INE's Q1 2026 Quarterly LFS Bumps Unemployment to 6.1% After 38,700 Net Job Losses in Three Months — Subutilização Tips to 10.2%, Youth Joblessness Eases to 19.1%, Long-Term Unemployed Reach 35.6% as the Trabalho XXI Debate Opens at São Bento

INE's Q1 2026 Quarterly LFS Bumps Unemployment to 6.1% After 38,700 Net Job Losses in Three Months — Subutilização Tips to 10.2%, Youth Joblessness Eases to 19.1%, Long-Term Unemployed Reach 35.6% as the Trabalho XXI Debate Opens at São Bento

INE's Q1 2026 quarterly LFS lifts unemployment to 6.1% — up 0.3pp on Q4 and the first interruption in a year-long descent. Economy shed 38,700 net jobs in three months, subutilização tipped to 10.2%, 588,000 inside the underutilisation perimeter, youth jobless down to 19.1%, long-term at 35.6%.
The Portugal Brief
REN's April 2026 Balance Shows 60% Renewables Inside a 30.9% Hydro Collapse — Wind Carries 19% and Solar 14% as Natural Gas Output Jumps 66.6% to Cover the Hydric Gap, Net Imports Print at 26% of Consumption

REN's April 2026 Balance Shows 60% Renewables Inside a 30.9% Hydro Collapse — Wind Carries 19% and Solar 14% as Natural Gas Output Jumps 66.6% to Cover the Hydric Gap, Net Imports Print at 26% of Consumption

REN's April 2026 balance reads 60% renewables inside a 30.9% YoY collapse in renewable output. Hydro fell 49.3%, gas jumped 66.6% to cover the gap, solar climbed 37.4%, net imports held at 26% of consumption. YTD renewable share 76% but inside -4.7% renewable output.
The Portugal Brief