Portugal government proposes tougher salary‑transparency rules and high‑speed rail tender review

The Portuguese Government is preparing a decree to transpose the EU transparency‑in‑pay directive. The draft would increase ancillary penalties, abolish salary‑secrecy clauses, extend the protection period for retaliation claims to three years, and strip repeat offenders of all tax and financial incentives. The transposition, originally due by 7 June, is now two months late.

The Lusolav consortium, led by construction group Mota‑Engil and comprising six Portuguese firms, has raised objections to a rival bid (Sacyr, DST and Alberto Couto Alves) for the second section of the Oiã‑Soure high‑speed rail line, arguing the proposal exceeds the €186 million cost ceiling for works in the Coimbra area, a ground for exclusion.

Socialist Party secretary‑general José Luís Carneiro warned that the party needs at least another year to rebuild support and cautioned against triggering a political crisis, echoing concerns about recent budget and motion debates.