The European Commission's 2026 Rule of Law Report on Portugal, published on 22 July 2026, identifies persistent challenges in court efficiency, digitalisation, and the implementation of anti-corruption and media transparency tools, while acknowledging progress on judicial appointments and new legislation.
The report, a staff working document accompanying the Commission's annual rule of law communication, assesses Portugal's justice system, anti-corruption framework, media pluralism, and other institutional checks and balances. It notes that the High Council for the Judiciary adopted a Code of Conduct for its members and that Parliament appointed new Constitutional Court judges after delays. Targeted case allocation changes took effect in October 2025. However, the efficiency of Administrative and Tax Courts deteriorated, with first-instance disposition time reaching 861 days in 2024. Recruitments for 55 judges and 53 prosecutors occurred in 2025, but shortages of judicial clerks and deteriorating court security persist. Online access to judgments remains limited, and a new case management system faces problems.
On anti-corruption, work on a new National Anti-Corruption Strategy is ongoing, and the Anti-corruption Mechanism is expected to extend its activities. A new lobbying law was adopted, but a registry still needs to be set up. The scope of high-risk areas for corruption was broadened in 2025. In the media and civic space, the Media Regulatory Authority's immediate funding issue was resolved, but yearly amount decreases are reported. The LUSA News Agency is now fully state-owned. A public consultation on the Media Transparency Law was launched. A new Ombudsperson was appointed in July 2026.
The report's recommendations focus on improving court efficiency and digitalisation, completing the lobbying registry, and ensuring sustainable funding for the media regulator. The findings will feed into the broader EU rule of law dialogue and may inform potential infringement procedures or funding conditions under the rule of law conditionality mechanism.