ASAE opens 42 proceedings after travel‑sector inspections
The Food and Economic Safety Authority (ASAE) (Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica) inspected 626 travel‑sector operators and initiated 42 administrative‑offence (contraordenação) proceedings for non‑compliance with legal requirements. The review covers travel agencies and tourism businesses and stems from periodic inspections carried out in 2025. Travellers and those booking package holidays should confirm agencies’ documentation and contracts, and businesses in the sector should expect possible fines and corrective orders.
ASAE is the Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica (Authority for Food and Economic Safety), Portugal’s agency responsible for food-safety inspections, market surveillance and enforcement against illegal economic activity. It can inspect premises, seize unsafe or non-compliant goods, issue fines and stop sales — so businesses, restaurants and importers must comply with its rules and consumers can report problems to it.
An administrative offence (infração administrativa) is a breach of regulatory or administrative rules handled through administrative procedures rather than criminal courts, usually resulting in fines, warnings or operational sanctions. In this case ASAE inspected 626 tourism businesses and opened 42 administrative proceedings for non-compliance, so business owners and service providers in tourism should ensure they meet legal requirements to avoid penalties.
The Food and Economic Safety Authority (Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica) — commonly called ASAE — is Portugal’s national inspectorate that enforces food safety, consumer protection and economic crime prevention; it inspects businesses, orders product withdrawals and can issue fines. For expats, ASAE is the body that publishes official recall notices (like today’s infant formula withdrawal), coordinates with EU alert systems and tells you whether to stop using, return or report a specific batch.
Tourism Criticised for "Reigning Mediocrity" Remains More Competitive than the Economy
The president of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) stated today that tourism is “criticised for the reigning mediocrity”, but it is “not by chance” that it is more competitive than the national economy.