Portugal News

January 14, 2019

Eucalyptus: licences allow for “even more planting until end 2019”

Following the devastating wildfires of 2017, PS Socialists pledged to limit the planting of fire-spreading eucalyptus. But media reports have revealed there are licences still in place allowing for the planting of “even more” of these trees until the end…

January 14, 2019

“Show us Golden Visa information”: transparency watchdog challenges government

With the defeat of yet another bill designed to do away with ‘Golden’ residency visas, Transparency International Portugal has called on the government to release information on its “controversial residency-by-investment programme”. The reasons are multiple but focused principally on what…

January 14, 2019

Shipwrecked English steam-ship suddenly ‘reappears’ from sandy grave

Extraordinary images have been circulating this week of the “Roumania”, a British steam ship that went down near Foz de Arelho (Caldas da Rainha) after hitting a sandbank over 126 years ago. The 3,387-ton wreck has lain, covered by sand,…

January 13, 2019

Conman arrested for Algarve property scam

Faro Police detained a 65-year-old conman yesterday, on suspicion of running a real estate scam and using false bank documents. The man already has a criminal record in Canada and now has had the experience of an appearance in front…

January 13, 2019

Government offices raided in oil and gas licensing investigation

Police investigators are on the anti-oil trail, with searches last Wednesday at the offices of the National Entity for the Fuel Market (ENMC) and the Directorate General of Energy and Geology (DGEG). The reason is that the environmental association, ASMAA,…

January 13, 2019

Considerable part of GNR vehicle fleet is inoperable

The Communist Party has reviewed the sad state of the Guarda Nacional Republicana’s (GNR) vehicles, concluding that due to high mileage and age, “a considerable part of the fleet is inoperative.” New vehicles are slow to be issued and the…

January 13, 2019

New ID card issued to foreign residents

On January 9th, Portugal’s Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) started issuing the new ‘Permanent Residence Certificate of the European Union.’ This new card is identical to the national Citizen’s Card in format, material and contents which contains the physical security…

January 13, 2019

€50k bank balance law – who, when and how?

Further to the notification that ‘Bank balances of €50k or more to be reported to the Tax Authority’ (January 11, 2019), HERE, questions have been raised and answered to clarify some of the implications of the new protocol agreed by…

January 11, 2019

Government allows Real Estate Investment Trusts to operate in Portugal

Portugal’s government finally has given the go-ahead to the creation of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in Portugal. The decree-law was approved on Thursday, January 10th, by the Council of Ministers, so does not need to go through Parliament but…