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A parched Portuguese landscape after wildfire near Pedrogao Grande, with charred pine trees, dry dusty ground and a road under a hot clear sky

A Heatwave Drives Almost the Entire Mainland to Maximum Fire Danger This Week

Every northern and central district plus Faro sits at maximum fire risk on Monday, with IPMA yellow warnings almost nationwide through Tuesday evening. Highs of 40°C are forecast for Santarém and Évora, and the elevated danger is expected to last all week.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

A spread of euro banknotes and assorted euro coins representing money and savings

Portugal's Savings Certificates Climb to a 2.474% Base Rate for August

The base rate on Certificados de Aforro rises to 2.474% in August, up from 2.356% in July and just under its 2.5% cap. With a €100 minimum, a state guarantee and permanence bonuses of up to 1.75 points, the state's savings certificates remain a low-risk home for cash.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

An empty school classroom with wooden desks and chairs, a whiteboard, an interactive screen and shelves of colourful binders

The Cabinet Clears a Rolling Teacher-Hiring Contest and Extends the School Phone Ban to Ninth Grade

The Council of Ministers has approved a 'continuous' teacher-recruitment model to fill classroom vacancies faster from 2026/2027, and extended the school smartphone ban to grades seven to nine. Secondary school will now start on 21 September.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

Facade of a Portuguese public hospital with the word HOSPITAL, a stone staircase and an azulejo tile panel

The SNS Retires Its Two-Decade-Old Surgery Waiting-List System for a New Digital Platform

From 1 August, the National Health Service has replaced the 20-year-old SIGIC with SINACC, a new platform for managing access to surgery and, later, consultations and diagnostics — alongside new rules for contracting private and social-sector providers to cut waiting times.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

A yellow Lisbon tram number 28 on a narrow cobbled city street lined with parked cars and pedestrians

The Mobility and Transport Fund Launches Its First Calls, Worth Nearly €2 Million

Portugal's Mobility and Transport Fund has opened its first funding calls — about €2 million for urban logistics, taxi-fleet decarbonisation and school mobility — the opening tranche of a €14.8 million scheme run by the IMT under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

The Sines oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Portugal, with gas flare stacks and a tall industrial chimney seen across pine forest by the coast

A New 33% Windfall Tax Will Hit Oil Companies' Excess Profits for 2026

The Council of Ministers has approved a one-off Temporary Solidarity Contribution on the Oil Sector, taxing at 33% the part of 2026 profits that runs more than 20% above the 2024–2025 average. The revenue is earmarked for shielding vulnerable households from fuel-price rises and cutting fossil-fuel

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

Requesting a Criminal Record Certificate (Certificado de Registo Criminal) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the Online Portal, the €5 Fee, the 90-Day Validity, the Purpose-Specific Versions, and Getting One From Abroad

Requesting a Criminal Record Certificate (Certificado de Registo Criminal) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the Online Portal, the €5 Fee, the 90-Day Validity, the Purpose-Specific Versions, and Getting One From Abroad

Almost everyone in Portugal needs a Criminal Record Certificate eventually — for a job, a rental, residency or nationality. A practical guide to the online portal, the €5 fee, the 90-day validity, the purpose-specific versions, and how to get one from abroad.

The Portugal Brief 03 Aug 2026

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