Even the president of the Association of Accommodation in Portugal (ALEP) now agrees that the Local Lettings law introduced a year ago is adding so many new and unexpected costs and obligations, that many property owners have returned to operating illegally.

Eduardo Miranda said today at a meeting in Faro that the alleged success of new Alojamento Local laws can be put in question as the state has created new burdens for those in the holiday lettings business, citing 'commercial water rates' as case in point.

Barclays will have to find a spare £72 million for its fine for not conducting proper checks against money laundering and financial crime.

The fine relates to a specific transaction of £1.88 billion in 2012 on behalf of super rich clients who were described as prominent and in public life.

HMRC has begun an advertising campaign as part of its effort to bring an end to “hiding money in another country”.

It believes as much as £565 million in tax could be due to it on money held in other countries.

The former Secretary of State for Transport and Communications, Sérgio Monteiro, has been hired by Bank of Portugal to front a new sale process for Novo Banco, the 'good bank' created after BES went bust under the regulator's nose.

Monteiro’s new job results from a need expressed by the Bank of Portugal and Novo Banco to have someone exclusively running the sale, as those who had been in charge until now, suddenly appear to have ‘other functions in regulating the financial sector.’

A court battle between the Portuguese government and Santander is shedding light on a crazy debt deal that almost sunk one of the country’s railway companies.

And, according to the ex-banker who fought Portugal's corner, it shows how investment banks “took advantage” of naive governments in the pre-financial crisis years.

Half of Portugal’s families had no money last year to pay for essential medical treatment, with many cutting down on food and resorting to loans to cover these expenses, according to consumer watchdog, Deco.

Of critical concern, the Deco report showed that one third were children who were left without treatment, consultation or medication advised by the doctor.

A study conducted by Deloitte for Siemens, showed that Portugal sits in 15th place on the 'digital maturity' index of companies, from the total of 29 European countries.

The study’s conclusion was that Portuguese companies are "among the group of countries in transition, including countries like France, Spain and the Czech Republic."

Greek coffers might benefit from a list of its citizens who hold accounts in Swiss banks.

Germany’s federal tax office provided the list of more than 10,588 named Greek depositors, including companies, who are suspected of tax evasion.