Latest news and stories about economic policy in finance in Portugal for expats and residents.
The request to hear Álvaro Santos Pereira was approved unanimously by the PS, PSD, and Chega in the Committee on Budget, Finance, and Public Administration.
The Government of the Azores argued today that the region has been losing 'fair compensation' for the use of Lajes Air Base by the United States, but deemed it 'reckless' to revise the bilateral agreement in the current context.
Álvaro Santos Pereira will be heard in Parliament due to the retirement of his predecessor, Mário Centeno. The hearing was requested by Chega and approved this Wednesday.
The former Governor of the Bank of Portugal and former Minister of Finance will leave the institution through the retirement scheme and under the pension fund, following an agreement between both parties.
Centeno will leave the Bank of Portugal, but he will not stop because “retirement is an administrative matter,” he says in an interview with DN. And, without committing himself, he says his future “is open.”
Miguel Relvas criticizes the government's lack of proactive measures to maintain economic competitiveness, proposing the implementation of non-habitual resident programs and Golden Visas to attract digital talent back to the country.
Mário Centeno, former Governor of the Bank of Portugal, discusses his retirement, his commitment to continued intellectual work, and his perspective on the state of Portuguese politics. He emphasises the need for political leaders to demonstrate preparation and substance, while remaining non-committal about his own future political involvement, describing his current status as a “conscious decision of freedom.”
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, assures that the Government is working on mitigating the economic impacts of the war in the Middle East, while admitting some scepticism regarding gas price caps, a hypothesis put forward by the President of the European Commission.
The President of the European Council is confident that EU leaders will approve support measures for high energy prices at this week's summit, describing the situation as a 'dramatic and challenging moment.' António Costa emphasized the need for temporary, targeted measures to address rising costs and highlighted the importance of energy independence through domestic production, including renewables and nuclear power. The summit follows the recent military escalation between Israel, the US, and Iran, which has sparked fears of a new energy crisis similar to 2022 due to potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Available evidence suggests that the most effective social protection policies in the food sector are those that increase food supply or directly support the most vulnerable groups.
While participating in a demonstration against US attacks on Iran, the communist and Bloco leaders converged on what the reaction to the price hike crisis, resulting from the conflict in the Middle East, should be.
“It was necessary for the Government to openly control fuel prices and set price caps on essential goods,” stated the party coordinator, José Manuel Pureza.
The BE/Azores stated today that it will present an urgent legislative initiative in the regional parliament to prevent fuel price increases in the region, due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Fuel prices are rising, putting pressure on the entire supply chain. Members of Parliament Rui Afonso (Chega), Miguel Costa Matos (PS) and Inês Sousa Real (PAN) advocate for the return of 0% VAT.
Centeno leaves the Banco de Portugal after 20 years and having reached an agreement on his departure. He is expected to dedicate himself to university teaching now.
The former governor will teach at the University of Miami, in the USA, as a visiting professor.
Mário Centeno's long career at the Bank of Portugal has come to an end. After more than two decades as a staff member of the institution – having served as Governor between 2020 and 2025 – he signed the agreement this week that allows him to retire, ceasing his work at the bank. As ECO has learned, Centeno has already...
Portugal has reduced fuel taxes to help limit rising fuel prices, addressing recent economic pressures related to energy costs.
Portugal has recently reduced fuel taxes to help curb rising fuel prices, responding to ongoing economic pressures.
There are 'no structural effects yet' on the economy from the skyrocketing fuel prices. This guarantee is given by the Minister of Economy, who assures that the Government is 'measuring' the impacts with 'constant attention'. Castro Almeida, in an interview with Rádio Observador, says that the current support measures for diesel will be extended...
Chega plans to propose the reinstatement of zero VAT on essential goods, a measure they aim to limit until the end of the year. Additionally, the party is advocating for further government action to reduce fuel taxes.
The energy transition is a critical issue that must be prioritized in economic, industrial, and climate policy discussions. It is essential for sustainable development and addressing climate change.
Economist Filipe Garcia emphasizes the necessity for changes in tax collection to finance the PTRR, suggesting that without adjustments, funding will need to come from increased taxes or cuts in other areas.
This analytical piece compares the positions of presidential candidates Fernando Seguro and André Ventura across seven key areas — from the economy and public safety to defence and foreign policy — highlighting how their different approaches would shape the role of the President in Belém. It argues that the next President will remain central to Portuguese political life through veto powers, constitutional defence, international representation and command of the armed forces, and suggests that courage, more than left‑or‑right alignment, is the decisive quality for voters to weigh in this campaign.
