Pedro Contez Tomaz, a labour law expert, analyses the changes the Government intends to introduce to labour law and explains the importance of Portugal increasing its productivity.
The UGT, employers, and the Government leave the meeting on labour reform feeling optimistic. Following an appeal from Belém, Mário Mourão and the CIP see progress and a “different attitude,” although a final consensus is still far off.
The article covers several updates in Portugal:
1. Land Clearing for Fire Prevention: Property owners must clear vegetation around their homes and near populated areas by April 30th to reduce fire risks, with fines up to €5,000 for individuals and €25,000 for companies. Local authorities can perform the work if owners do not comply, and additional safety measures like non-flammable barriers and proper maintenance are recommended.
2. Electric Scooter Accidents: Between 2019 and 2025, approximately 1,900 accidents involving electric scooters were recorded, resulting in 10 fatalities. Recent years have seen a sharp increase in incidents, with 706 accidents in 2024. Causes include riding in prohibited areas and ignoring safety rules. Authorities emphasize adherence to traffic laws, use of protective gear, and proper riding zones.
3. Mercadona's Growth in Portugal: The Spanish supermarket chain reported an 8% increase in sales in 2025, totaling €2.09 billion in Portugal, with 69 stores. The company invested over €1.23 billion since 2019, created 500 jobs in Portugal, and aims to invest €3.7 billion in future development.
These updates highlight ongoing safety, environmental, and economic developments in Portugal.
In addition to Sines, Abrantes will also host an artificial intelligence gigafactory, which will serve as a redundancy. Muddy Waters, which began a wave of short positions in Mota-Engil's capital in 2024, has filed a defamation lawsuit in a Texas federal court against the CEO of the Portuguese construction company, Carlos Mota dos Santos. Get to know the news...
A few days before the Government meets with the UGT and the four employer confederations in an attempt to reach an agreement on changes to labour law, the PS provides a negative assessment of the dialogue between the Executive, social partners, and political parties, noting that little to no progress has been made since the proposal was presented over six months ago.
The Government has actively engaged in revising labour law, presenting a draft bill on 24 July and reconvening the Permanent Commission for Social Dialogue in September. Following several meetings with business confederations and the UGT, a significant meeting is scheduled for 3 March to further discuss the labour law reform, indicating ongoing negotiations and collaboration among stakeholders.
Researchers at the University of Coimbra are advocating for the initiation of competitions mandated by law to address the issue of scientific precariousness. They highlight the ongoing problem of scientists who have been on fixed-term contracts since 2017, calling for urgent solutions to secure stable positions in the research field.
Since the end of January, the country has been dealing with the aftermath of consecutive storms that have caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure. In response, companies facing crises may require employees to assume different roles temporarily. However, businesses must be cautious about the implications this may have on insurance and labor laws.
Sicasal, a meat-processing company located in the municipality of Mafra and declared insolvent, will resume production at the end of this week following an advance payment from a customer, the insolvency administrator told Lusa. According to Jorge Calvete, the first workers returned to the factory this Monday to begin sanitisation and to inspect the ...
Two rulings order the opening of competitions within 30 days at ISA and at the Faculty of Letters. The decisions overturn previous judgments and set a legal precedent on academic precarity.
A total of 3,258 people applied to the Judicial Police (PJ)'s latest inspector recruitment, for which 150 vacancies were available. It is the highest number of applications in the past two years.
The Minister of the Economy argues the labour package will only 'get off the ground' if it is agreed through social dialogue and stresses he hopes 'there is still room for an agreement in the social dialogue'. 'The so‑called labour package has to be agreed in social dialogue, otherwise it won't get off the ground,' Castro Almeida said, in ...
The agreement also establishes new minimum and maximum ages to join the prison guard profession — 18 as the minimum and 35 as the maximum. Overtime hours will also start to be paid in full.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro uses his customary 1 January Jornal de Notícias article to renew a call for labour reform, urging a ‘winning mentality’ and changes to employment law and regulation. Framed as necessary for competitiveness and job creation, the piece signals his policy priorities and aims to steer public and political debate toward deregulation and legal adjustments. It functions both as a policy pitch and as political positioning ahead of upcoming labour‑market discussions.