The Council of Ministers approved the Resolution No. 181-A/2021, dated of December 23rd, 2021 which modifies the measures in the context of the calamity situation, introducing a set of new restrictions. Please note that these measures may change at any time.
Below are some of the main changes:
1. Special Measures applicable on 24, 25, 30 and 31 December 2021
- Rules for the access of certain spaces: access to food and beverage establishments and gambling establishments, casinos, bingos or similar, depends on the presentation of the EU COVID Digital Certificate in the form of test or recovery certificate, the presentation of other proof of laboratory testing with a negative result or of the performance of a test with a negative result, under the terms to be defined by the DGS and the INSA;
The same requirement applies to guests of tourist establishments or local accommodation when accessing celebrations held in these places when proof of a test with a negative result has been presented for more than 72 or 48 hours, depending on the type of test.
2. Special measures to be applied from December 25th 2021 and January 9th, 2022
- Telework: it is mandatory between 00:00 on December 25th, 2021 and January 9th, 2022, whenever the functions in question allow it and the employee has conditions to exercise telework, regardless of the employment relationship.
- Limits regarding the occupation of publicly accessible spaces: indicative occupation of 0.20 people per square meter of area, with the exception of establishments providing services;
- Rules for the access to tourist establishments or local accommodation: access depends on the presentation of the EU COVID Digital Certificate in the form of test or recovery certificate, or on the presentation of proof of laboratory testing with a negative result;
- Rules for the access to events: namely, non-religious New Year’s parties or celebrations, family events, including weddings and baptisms, corporate events, cultural events or sporting events, depends on the presentation of the Certificate Digital COVID of the EU in the modalities of test or recovery certificate, or the presentation of proof of laboratory testing with a negative result, without prejudice to the definition by the DGS of the characteristics of the events in which the presentation of these certificates or tests is waived;
- Closing: The closure of bars, other non-spectacled drinking establishments and establishments with dance venues is determined.
3. Suspension of academic and non-school activities, exceptional family support and special rules on consumer protection
- Suspension of face-to-face teaching and non-teaching activities: it now covers the period from December 27th, 2021 to January 9th, 2022.
- Exceptional family support regime: now covers the period from December 27th to December 31st, 2021. For application purposes, you can find relevant information on the following Social Security website: Covid 19 – Apoio Excecional à Família – Notícias – seg-social.pt. Please, also, refer to Decree-Law No. 119-A/2021, dated of December 22nd and Decree-Law no. 119-B/2021, dated of December 23rd.
- Consumer protection and sales (please refer to Decree-Law no. 119-B/2021, dated of December 23rd):
- i) The period for exercising consumer rights that ends between December 25th and January 9th, or within 10 days after that period, is extended until January 31st, 2022;
- ii) Whenever the commercial operator grants the consumer the right to exchange products at the establishment, request a refund upon return of the products or grant any other courtesies not under the law to the consumer, whose exercise period ends on the days between December 25th 2021 and January 9th, 2022, or within 10 days after that period, it is extended until January 31st, 2022.
- iii) Between December 25th, 2021 and January 9th, 2022, commercial practices with a price reduction are prohibited in establishments.
- Illness subsidy: The regime applicable to the subsidy in situations of illness due to COVID-19 is extended.
TFRA will update the information in this document whenever deemed necessary.
TFRA will update the information in this document whenever deemed necessary. Finally, please note that the information contained in this document is of a generic nature and, therefore, does not exempt the analysis of the specific case, nor the consultation of official documentation and legislation in force at any given time.