Burgeoning income tax receipts support government spending

moneydownthedrainThe Portuguese government’s income from property tax (IMI) grew 8.6% in 2013 due to the nationwide and somewhat overdue revaluation of the country's buildings to apportion sensible rateable values.


The overall taxation of Portugal’s residents increased 8.1% between 2012 and 2013 reaching an unprecedented €57,800 million making former Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar’s prediction of ‘massive tax increases’ spot on.

Eurozone economies on knife edge

eurozone2Growth across the eurozone registered just 0.2% for the first three months of this year.

The low growth has sent out a wave of fear that the region’s recovery may be faltering. The outcomes were half what analysts had expected.

More migrants try to get into EU

immigrantsboatThe number of people known to be attempting illegal entry into EU nations last year nearly doubled in just one year.

A total of 107,000 people were detected and reported to the EU's borders agency, Frontex, compared with 72,500 in 2012, Frontex said.

Finanças staff on 5% of debts collected

financasTax workers taxes will continue to receive 5% of the amount raked in this year by ‘coercive collections’ - tax foreclosure proceedings.

The percentage again was set at the maximum 5%, as in previous years, as the government shies away from threatened strike action from members of the Tax Workers Union.

Portugal's Chartered Accountancy body ignored by government over Finanças website delay

taxPortugal’s Chartered Accountants body has applied in court for an extension of  tax submission deadlines due to ‘recurrent problems’ with the Finanças website.

The injunction was lodged today in the Tax Court of Lisbon in the face of the government's view that ‘statistics show’ that the Finanças web portal is operational.

England squad back at Vale de Lobo

valedeloboThe England football team again is off to the Algarve, viewing it as an ideal training ground as the squad prepares for the World Cup.

The Football Association said that Vale do Lobo has been chosen for a five days session between 19 and 23 May.

'Booming' restaurant and hotel sector loses 315 jobs a day

restaurantIn the face of the carefully orchestrated government campaign to persuade the nation how well everything is going, the truth in the hotel and restaurant industry is that job losses have been running at 315 each and every day since the start of this year.  

The hoteliers and restaurateurs association is of course desperately concerned with "the worst results ever" which were released by the independent National Statistics Institute last Friday.

Portugal - alcohol survey reveals 4 in 10 don't touch the stuff

drinkDespite nearly 6% of Portuguese adults having drink problems, over four in ten say they do not drink alcohol at all, well, in the last year anyway

The women are ahead with over half (54% ) not touching a drop of the hard stuff, or even the not so hard stuff as wine is far and away the favourite alcoholic drink in the country accounting for 55% of all alcohol consumed.