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Sunbathers under umbrellas and swimmers in the sea at a busy sandy cove beach in Lagos, on Portugal's Algarve coast

More Than a Third of Portugal's Residents Still Cannot Afford a Week Away, Well Above the EU Average

Fresh Eurostat data show 27.5% of EU residents could not afford a week's holiday away from home in 2025. Portugal's latest reading, 35.2% in 2024, is among the highest in Western Europe — a reminder of the domestic hardship behind the country's record tourism numbers.

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

Euro banknotes of various denominations spread out with an assortment of euro coins scattered across them

Brussels Moves to End Double Taxation on Cross-Border Dividends, Worth About €500 a Year to Investors

The EU is moving to scrap the double taxation of cross-border dividends, interest and royalties, a fix estimated to be worth about €500 a year to the average investor. The FASTER Directive brings a 14-day digital tax-residence certificate and relief at source, with Portugal transposing it by end-202

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

The Rua Augusta triumphal arch and the equestrian statue of King Jose I in Praca do Comercio, Lisbon, with people crossing the square under a clear blue sky

Portugal Folds 13 Welfare Payments Into a Single Benefit Worth €268.60 From the End of 2026

The Council of Ministers has approved a new Prestacao Social Unica (Single Social Benefit) that folds 13 existing supports into one means-tested payment worth €268.60 — half the IAS index. It takes effect on 31 December 2026, sits 8.5% above today's insertion-income floor, and tapers with earned inc

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

Entrance of the Edificio Victoria on Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon, home to Euronext offices

Markets, Business & Tech Briefing: PSI Rebounds 1.1%, BCP Jumps 4.9%, REN Profit Up 42%

The Lisbon market bounced back on Thursday, with the PSI climbing 1.07% to close at 9,145.86 points and recovering all of Wednesday's 0.93% slide. A powerful rally in the banks did the heavy lifting, more than offsetting another weak session for Galp. Below, the

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

A traditional yellow Lisbon tram number 28 passing a weathered pale-yellow apartment building with wrought-iron balconies in the Alfama district

Portugal Lets Tourist-Pressured Councils Freeze New Short-Term Rentals Until the End of 2026

A new decree-law gives municipalities with more than 1,000 registered short-term rentals until 31 December 2026 to write local rules for alojamento local — and lets them suspend new registrations meanwhile. Lisbon, Porto, Funchal and Sintra already restrict lettings in their busiest zones.

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

Blister packs of white pills and red-and-cream capsules beside a glass apothecary jar and a small bottle of medicine on a white background

Hovione Pours €200 Million Into a New Seixal Medicines Factory Due to Open in 2027

Portuguese pharmaceutical group Hovione is investing €200 million in a new medicines factory at Seixal, now in its final construction phase and due to open in September 2027 with at least 100 qualified jobs. The plant is funded entirely from the company's own equity, without EU money.

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

The Sines oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Portugal, with tall chimneys and flare stacks burning against a blue sky above green pine woodland

Portugal Revives a Windfall Levy on Oil Refiners as Galp's First-Half Profit Jumps 44 Percent

The Council of Ministers has approved a Temporary Solidarity Contribution on the oil sector, a windfall-style levy on refiners' profits that run far above normal years. It arrives as Galp posts an €812 million first-half profit, up 44 percent, with Brussels' approval secured back in April.

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

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