Portugal to accelerate compensation for livestock lost to wolf attacks

The Portuguese government has signed a joint decree to reduce the timeframes for evaluating and paying compensation to livestock producers affected by Iberian wolf attacks. Effective January 1, 2027, the new rules mandate that damage assessments be completed within 20 business days, with payments issued by the end of the following month.

Ministers Maria da Graça Carvalho and José Manuel Fernandes stated the measure aims to mitigate the economic impact of administrative delays on small-scale and extensive production systems. The reform also includes updated maximum values per animal to align more closely with market rates and expands the scope of compensable situations, such as animal disappearances.

The Union of Livestock Producers Damaged by Wolves (UPGALL) described the decision as “positive” but “insufficient.” The association argued that faster payments do not address the core issue of rejected claims. UPGALL is calling for an urgent review of the inspection and validation processes, expressing concerns regarding the transparency and uniformity of damage assessment criteria used by field teams.