Latest news and stories about eu regulation in Portugal for expats and residents.
European Union member states are exploring the possibility of introducing a bloc-wide tax on capital gains from crypto-assets. The proposal is currently being considered as part of negotiations for the next EU multiannual budget to generate new community revenue.
The European Union has suspended imports of meat, poultry, eggs, and honey from Brazil due to unresolved food safety concerns. While the Portuguese government has downplayed the potential economic impact of the ban, the measure takes effect immediately despite requests from Brazil to reverse the decision.
The European Union is set to suspend imports of beef and other animal products from Brazil starting Thursday, September 3. European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Oliver Varhelyi confirmed the decision, citing unresolved food safety issues that affect products including poultry, eggs, and honey.
As of August 3, 2026, the old Portuguese Identity Card (Bilhete de Identidade) is no longer accepted for travel within the European Union and the Schengen Area due to the lack of a machine-readable zone. Travelers must now use a valid Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão) or a passport for international trips, though the old ID remains valid for domestic use within Portugal.
The Cartão de Cidadão (Citizen Card) is Portugal’s national identity card, introduced in 2007, used for in‑person ID and many online public services; it contains your civil identity data and supports digital authentication and signatures. It is issued to Portuguese citizens—foreign residents use a residence permit for ID—so non‑citizen expats should keep their passport and residence card for official matters.
The Schengen Area is a zone comprising 29 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and border control at their mutual borders. It allows for the free and unrestricted movement of people, goods, and services, functioning as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes (Espaço Schengen).
The e-commerce platform AliExpress announced it will appeal a 550 million euro fine imposed by the European Commission. The company labeled the sanction, which relates to the sale of illegal products, as disproportionate.
The European Commission is the EU’s executive body based in Brussels that proposes legislation, enforces EU rules and manages day‑to‑day EU policies; it is led by a President, currently Ursula von der Leyen. Commission proposals on harmonising business rules or introducing preferences can directly affect trade, regulation and competitiveness for companies and residents across all member states, including Portugal.
The European Commission has launched infringement proceedings against Portugal over its policy of offering free museum and monument access to residents while charging tourists from other EU member states. Brussels argues the current system violates European Union rules by unfairly discriminating against visitors from abroad. The government now faces pressure to overhaul its admission schemes to ensure compliance with EU regulations.
The European Commission is the EU’s executive body based in Brussels that proposes legislation, enforces EU rules and manages day‑to‑day EU policies; it is led by a President, currently Ursula von der Leyen. Commission proposals on harmonising business rules or introducing preferences can directly affect trade, regulation and competitiveness for companies and residents across all member states, including Portugal.
Minister of Culture Margarida Balseiro Lopes announced that Portugal must revise its free museum entry policy following an infringement process launched by the European Commission. The commission identified the current system, which grants free access specifically to Portuguese citizens, as discriminatory. The government is now evaluating how to adjust these rules to comply with European Union regulations.
The European Commission is the EU’s executive body based in Brussels that proposes legislation, enforces EU rules and manages day‑to‑day EU policies; it is led by a President, currently Ursula von der Leyen. Commission proposals on harmonising business rules or introducing preferences can directly affect trade, regulation and competitiveness for companies and residents across all member states, including Portugal.
The European Commission is reviewing Portugal's implementation of the new European Pay Transparency Directive and may initiate infringement proceedings for non-compliance. The directive requires companies to justify salary criteria, moving away from traditional pay models based on negotiation or personal favoritism.
European institutions have reached a provisional agreement to toughen migration policy, including measures to accelerate deportations and the potential use of hubs in third countries for failed asylum seekers. These reforms, which complement the broader European Pact on Migration and Asylum (Pacto Europeu de Migração e Asilo) taking effect June 12, aim to increase control over the bloc's external borders.
The European Pact on Migration and Asylum (Pacto Europeu sobre Migração e Asilo) is a set of EU regulations designed to standardize how member states manage border security, asylum applications, and the relocation of migrants. It aims to create a more uniform process across the bloc, ensuring that countries share responsibility for processing arrivals and handling returns of individuals who do not qualify for asylum.
A December audit by the European Commission identified serious deficiencies in border control procedures at Lisbon and Porto airports. Brussels warned that these failures could negatively impact other European Union member states and compromise security. Separately, local authorities in Horta have expressed concern over operational restrictions imposed by the National Civil Aviation Authority (Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil or ANAC) that are forcing flight diversions.
ANAC (Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil) is Portugal's national civil aviation regulator, responsible for safety oversight, licensing and economic regulation of airlines, airports and ground-handling services. It oversees tenders and issues licences such as the recent ground-handling awards for Lisbon, Porto and Faro, so its decisions directly affect airport operations, service providers and related jobs.
