Portugal

New legal provisions have been approved introducing gender quotas pursuant to attaining balanced representation between women and men in the director and supervisory bodies of public sector companies and listed companies.

Extension of scope for the special judicial mechanisms towards recognition of employment (as opposed to formal adoption of other non-employment alternatives) to all forms of undeclared work, including “fake” provision of services, internships and volunteering.

New legal framework for the employment contract of sports practitioners’ and sports practitioners’ training contracts, as well as contracts with sports agents in Portugal.

In order to ensure the correct application of, and to monitor compliance with, the substantive rules on the terms and conditions of employment to be respected with regard to posted workers, undertakings that post workers in the framework of the provision of services are subject to certain administrative requirements and control measures.

Legal standing is granted to organizations whose purpose is to defend or promote the rights and interests of workers of the European Union and members of their families concerning the exercise of the freedom of movement.

A European professional card is created, which facilitates temporary mobility and recognition under the automatic recognition system. Rules governing partial access to a regulated profession and recognition of professional traineeship in another Member State are also laid down.

The scheme of professional valorisation of workers with public employment as a result of the reorganization and rationalization of workers proceeding is defined. The General Directorate for the Qualification of Public Employees was appointed as the entity responsible for professional valorisation management.

Regarding the concern to increase the minimum employee salary to a specific activity sector, the government considers that weighing the contribution of extension to the promotion of better levels of cohesion and social equality is fundamental, particularly from the viewpoint of gender equity and as an implementation of the constitutional principle of “equal pay for equal work”.

For 2017 the minimum monthly wage was increased to € 557,00. The meal allowance for public sector workers is fixed at the daily amount of € 4,52 from January 1, which will also impact the income tax of the private sector. The age for retirement in 2017 is set at 66 years and 3 months (one additional month when compared with 2016).