General Daily Briefing — Sunday, 05 July 2026
Paying the IMI Municipal Property Tax in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Taxable Property Values, the 0.3%–0.45% Municipal Rates, the May–August–November Instalments, the Low-Income and Own-Home Exemptions and the AIMI Surcharge
Portugal's annual municipal property tax falls due for many owners across 2026. A practical guide to how your property's taxable value (VPT) is set, the 0.3%–0.45% municipal rates, the May, August and November instalments, the low-income and own-home exemptions, and the AIMI wealth surcharge.
Registering a Trademark (Marca) with the INPI in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Trademark Searches, Nice Classes, the Online Application, the Opposition Window and the 10-Year Renewable Registration
Protecting a brand name or logo in Portugal starts with the INPI. A practical guide to running a trademark search, choosing the right Nice classes, filing the online application, the three-month opposition window, and the 10-year renewable registration.
Here is your Portugal briefing for Sunday, 05 July 2026 — the day's six stories at a glance:
- Portugal's new Certificados do Tesouro Série 5 goes on sale Monday, a ten-year state savings product with fixed rates climbing from 2.35% to 3.35% in the final year.
- A critical-metals firm, ACM, reserved land at Sines to build an antimony refinery producing 10,000 tonnes a year and creating some 150 skilled jobs by 2030.
- A decree stripping citizenship from serious criminals is heading for a second parliamentary defeat after the Constitutional Court ruled it discriminatory.
- The Tesla Model 3 became the first electric car to top Portugal's monthly sales chart, leading June with 1,231 units as a state EV grant stays open until 27 July.
- Eleven volunteer firefighters from Fundão were charged and sent to trial over the alleged sexual assault of a 19-year-old recruit; all are presumed innocent.
- Pump prices rise again on Monday — diesel about three cents, petrol about two — though the government is lifting its ISP fuel-tax rebate to soften the blow.
Portugal's New Ten-Year Treasury Certificate Opens Monday, Paying 2.35% Now and 3.35% in the Final Year
From Monday 7 July, savers can subscribe to the new Certificados do Tesouro Série 5, a ten-year, state-guaranteed product created by the IGCP. Its fixed rates rise the longer the money stays invested — 2.35% in year one, climbing to 3.35% in year ten, for an average of about 2.71% a year. The minimum is €1,000, interest is paid annually without compounding, and the certificates are sold through AforroNet, the Espaços Cidadão, CTT and Banco BiG.
A Critical-Metals Firm Reserves Land at Sines for a 10,000-Tonne Antimony Refinery and 150 Skilled Jobs
ACM (Alchemy & Critical Metals) has reserved a 131,000-square-metre plot in the Sines Industrial and Logistics Zone to build a refinery for antimony, a metal on the EU's critical-raw-materials list used in semiconductors, batteries and defence. The plant would produce 10,000 tonnes a year, create roughly 150 highly-qualified direct jobs plus about 300 indirect ones, and begin operating around 2030. It adds to a run of heavy industrial investment landing at the Alentejo port.
Portugal's Bid to Strip Citizenship From Serious Criminals Heads for a Second Parliamentary Defeat
Deputies debated on 3 July whether to revive a decree letting courts strip Portuguese citizenship as an accessory penalty for the gravest crimes — and the numbers point to rejection. The Constitutional Court has already ruled the measure discriminatory and disproportionate, and Parliament lacks the two-thirds majority needed to override the President. Chega wants the original text confirmed and has threatened a referendum, while naturalised residents face no change to their status.
The Tesla Model 3 Topped Portugal's June Car Sales — the First Time an Electric Car Led the Month
For the first time, an electric car has finished a month as Portugal's best-selling vehicle: the Tesla Model 3 led June with 1,231 registrations, up more than 77% on a year earlier, according to ACAP. It sits third over the half-year behind the Peugeot 2008 and 208, but the monthly milestone underlines a fast electric shift — helped by a €4,000 state purchase grant open until 27 July and new low-cost rivals such as BYD's Dolphin.
Eleven Fundão Firefighters Will Stand Trial Over the Alleged Sexual Assault of a Teenage Recruit
The Public Prosecutor's Office has charged eleven volunteer firefighters from Fundão, aged 22 to 53 and including a chief and subchief, and sent them for trial over the alleged rape and sexual coercion of a 19-year-old recruit at the barracks in September 2025. Prosecutors describe a violent hazing ritual; the corporation opened disciplinary proceedings against eight of the men and the commander resigned. All the accused are presumed innocent until a court rules.
Pump Prices Climb Again This Week, but a Bigger Fuel-Tax Rebate Cushions the Rise
Drivers face higher prices from Monday, with diesel expected to climb about three cents a litre and petrol about two — even as crude oil weakens on signs of oversupply. To cushion the rise, the Finance Ministry is lifting the ISP fuel-tax rebate it uses to steady pump prices. Forecasts still point to averages near €1.80 a litre for diesel and about €1.90 for petrol.
