Several codes and legal diplomas were amended by Law No. 7/2021, 26 February, with the aim of strengthening taxpayers' guarantees and promoting procedural simplification in tax matters.
This means that individuals and companies now have more appropriate legal measures that allow them to better defend their interests before the Portuguese Tax Authority (AT).
The main measures concentrate on the following:
• The tax obligations that must be fulfilled in the month of August of each year are transferred to the first business day of September.
• Jurisprudence decisions may compel AT to revise generic guidelines as long as certain assumptions are verified.
• New cases of suspension of the prescription period.
• Reduction in the amount of fees and, in some cases, exemption from the respective payment, due to the issuance of binding information by the AT.
• Possibility of reducing the amount of instalments due under tax debt payment plans.
• Definition of the conditions for fixing the base value of the properties for the purposes of attachment.
• Worsening of penalties for customs crimes of smuggling and fraudulent consumption.
• Obligation to declare money carried on trips worth EUR 10,000 or more.

Article written in accordance with the legislation in force on 5 April 2021.