Wednesday, 1 April 2026

The use of generic medicines (medicamentos genéricos) in local pharmacies saved the state and households over 666 million euros last year. Although this represents a slight decrease from 2024, the National Association of Pharmacies (Associação Nacional das Farmácias or ANF) noted that generics have saved billions since 2011. The pharmaceutical sector expressed concern that rising diesel prices could impact future distribution costs.

Bankinter has announced a five-year plan to become one of the six largest banks in Portugal by overtaking competitors like Banco Montepio. The bank's head in Portugal, Alberto Ramos, stated the strategy focuses on growing corporate lending and expanding digital services. The branch, which entered the market ten years ago, currently reports higher efficiency levels than its Spanish parent company.

The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is reviewing amendments to the Nationality Law (Lei da Nacionalidade) this Wednesday to address concerns raised by the Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional). The proposed changes include provisions for the loss of Portuguese nationality for individuals convicted of serious crimes with sentences of at least six years. While the government coalition is confident, the Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) and Chega have not yet guaranteed their support for the revised text.

Update: PSD and Chega reach agreement on nationality rules

The Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) and CDS-PP have secured an agreement with Chega to pass the revised law. The deal, announced by PSD parliamentary leader Hugo Soares, includes stricter criteria for denying nationality based on convictions for criminal association and arms trafficking, while removing previous requirements regarding social welfare dependency.

Homeowners with variable-rate mortgages will see monthly payments increase by up to 18 euros this month as Euribor rates react to geopolitical tensions. Data from the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estatística or INE) shows inflation rose to 2.7% in March, largely driven by higher fuel costs. These market shifts are affecting both existing contracts and new loans, including those with mixed-rate options.

The three-month window to submit annual tax returns (declaração de IRS) for 2025 income opens today on the Finance Portal (Portal das Finanças). Taxpayers have until June 30 to file, regardless of whether they are employees, pensioners, or self-employed workers (trabalhadores a recibos verdes). Experts warn that refunds may be lower this year because the Tax Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira or AT) adjusted withholding tables mid-year to leave more money in monthly paychecks.

The National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) performed more surgeries and consultations over the last two years, yet many patients still struggle to access care. Waiting lists have grown, and a significant number of residents remain without an assigned family doctor (médico de família). The data suggests that increased hospital productivity has not been enough to offset the rising demand for medical services.

Approximately 23,000 immigrants were notified to voluntarily leave Portugal last year, a significant increase from the 444 notifications recorded in 2024. The data, released in the Annual Internal Security Report (Relatório Anual de Segurança Interna or RASI), highlights a sharp shift in immigration enforcement. These notices typically give individuals a set period to depart the country before facing formal deportation proceedings.

Taxpayers have until the end of today to dispute expense values on the Finance Portal (Portal das Finanças) before the income tax (IRS) filing period begins on Wednesday. The President of the Republic also approved the expansion of the automatic tax return (declaração automática) to include more young taxpayers under the revised Youth IRS (IRS Jovem) rules. Experts warn that changes to withholding tax (retenção na fonte) tables last year may result in smaller refunds for many households.

Consumer confidence in Portugal has dropped to its lowest level since December 2023 as the conflict in the Middle East fuels fears of rising prices. Data from the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estatística or INE) shows a sharp decline in economic sentiment across the retail and construction sectors. European Central Bank (Banco Central Europeu) President Christine Lagarde warned that the global energy shock resulting from the crisis is currently being underestimated.

A coalition of over 80 organizations and 23,000 citizens has submitted a legislative initiative (iniciativa legislativa) to the Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República). The proposal aims to close legal loopholes by criminalizing all forms of discriminatory practice and racism. Supporters argue that current laws are ineffective at ensuring equality and justice for marginalized groups.

A study by the Institute of Public and Social Policies (Instituto de Políticas Públicas e Sociais) found that housing is the least protected right among those established in the 1976 Constitution (Constituição). While 42% of citizens believe the document reflects national aspirations, many feel the right to decent housing (habitação condigna) remains unfulfilled. The report marks 50 years since the publication of the constitutional text.