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The stone facade of the Ministerio das Financas at Praca do Comercio in Lisbon, with the words MINISTERIO DAS FINANCAS engraved in the marble surround

An Engineer Takes the Helm of Portugal's Tax Authority, Ending Helena Borges's Eleven-Year Tenure

Mario Campos, a systems engineer who has spent a decade inside the tax office, became director-general of Portugal's Tax and Customs Authority on 1 August, ending Helena Borges's eleven-year tenure and making digital transformation and the fight against evasion his priorities.

The Portugal Brief 01 Aug 2026

A view over the terracotta rooftops of Lisbon from the Alfama district, with a church dome on the right and the 25 de Abril bridge spanning the Tagus in the distance

A New Barometer Finds Greater Lisbon Residents Praising Their Transport but Marking Down Cleanliness, Parking and Safety

A new Quality Barometer for the Lisbon Region from Nova IMS and the IPQ finds residents who are richer and better-educated than the national average yet mark their region down on cleanliness, parking, noise, security and tourism — while rating its public transport highly.

The Portugal Brief 01 Aug 2026

An aerial view of Almada across the Tagus from Lisbon, showing the Cristo Rei monument, dense housing and the red 25 de Abril bridge, with the river estuary behind

Almada Extends Its Water-Supply Alert to 31 August, Keeping Overnight Cut-Offs and a Garden-Watering Ban in Place

Almada has extended its formal water-supply alert to 31 August, carrying July's restrictions across the peak of summer: overnight cut-offs between 10pm and 6am, a ban on watering gardens and washing pavements, and reserves at 78% as consumption runs near double the national average.

The Portugal Brief 01 Aug 2026

Rows of servers glowing with blue indicator lights inside a data centre

Azambuja Council Withholds Fast-Track Status From Neoen's €2 Billion Data-Centre Plan

Azambuja's council issued an unfavourable opinion on granting PIN (Project of National Interest) status to Neoen's EUR2 billion Azambuja DC data centre, citing missing environmental studies and infrastructure strain. The label is not a building permit, but losing local backing lengthens the road for

The Portugal Brief 31 Jul 2026

The Assembleia da Republica, Portugal's Parliament building in Lisbon, flying the national flag under a dark stormy sky

Portugal's Central-Government Accounts Swing to a €212.6 Million First-Half Deficit as a CGD Dividend Cushions SNS and Storm Bills

Portugal's central-State accounts ran a EUR212.6 million deficit through June on a public-accounting basis, reversing a EUR2.23 billion surplus a year earlier. A EUR987.5 million CGD dividend cushioned the blow as the Treasury cleared EUR1.37 billion in overdue SNS supplier bills and spent EUR451.3

The Portugal Brief 31 Jul 2026

A Lisbon residential street lined with tiled apartment buildings and parked cars under a clear sky

August Mortgage Bills Climb Across Portugal as the Euribor's July Rebound Feeds Through

The Euribor turned higher in July, and for borrowers whose contracts revise in August it feeds straight through to the bill. On a EUR150,000, 30-year loan the twelve-month-indexed instalment climbs to EUR703.64, about EUR64.83 more than a year ago. The same move flatters savers, pushing the Certific

The Portugal Brief 31 Jul 2026

An elevated view over Lisbon's Praca do Comercio and terracotta rooftops beside the Tagus river

Portugal's Economy Speeds Up to 0.8% Quarterly Growth as Trade Swings in Its Favour

Portugal's GDP grew 0.8% in the second quarter, INE's flash estimate showed — a sharp pickup from 0.1% at the start of the year, and 2.5% higher than a year earlier. Net exports drove the gain as imports slowed, giving the government a firmer base for the 2027 budget.

The Portugal Brief 31 Jul 2026

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