Factsheet for measure
PT-2020-12/994
–
Updated
– measures in Portugal
Provision of essential utility services guaranteed for citizens
Fornecimento de serviços essenciais
Background information
The Law 18/2020, of 29 May, extends the deadlines of the measures to support households in the context of the current public health crisis, amending the Law 7/2020, of 10 April, that established exceptional and temporary regimes to answer the epidemic SARS-CoV-2.
The suspension of cuts to the supply of essential services is among those measures.
According to Law 7/2020, this suspension would be in force during the State of Emergency and the following month.
Content of measure
The Law 18/2020, of 29 May, extends the deadlines of the measures to support households in the context of the current public health crisis, including the suspension of cuts to the supply of essential services.
Until 30 September 2020, the suspension of the supply of essential services - water, electricity, natural gas and electronic communications - is not permitted.
The prohibition of suspension applies when the situation is due to unemployment, loss of income of the household of 20% or higher, or infection by COVID-19.
Until 30 September 2020, consumers who are in unemployment or have a loss of income in the household of 20% or more compared to the income of the previous month may ask for the unilateral termination of telecommunications contracts, with no compensation to the supplier.
Updates
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
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24 December 2021
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Decree-Law 119-B of 23 December extends the validity of some articles of Decree-Law 56-B/2021 of 7 July, which alters the exceptional regime for situations of delay in payment of rent and establishes the guarantee of supply of essential services within the scope of the pandemic COVID-19. According to articles 1 and 3, in their current wording, the supply of water, electricity natural gas and piped liquefied petroleum gases and electronic communications is guaranteed until 31 March 2022.
Furthermore, until 31 March 2022, consumers who are unemployed or whose household income has fallen by 20% or more compared with the previous month may request temporary suspension of telecoms contracts, without penalties or additional clauses for the consumer, which will be resumed on 1 April 2022 or on a date to be agreed between the supplier and the consumer.
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07 July 2021
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Decree-Law 56-B/2021 of 7 July makes the sixth amendment to Law 4 -C/2020 of 6 April, amended by Laws 17/2020 of 29 May and 45/2020 of 20 August, by Decree-Law 106-A/2020 of 30 December and
by Laws 75-A/2020 of 30 December and 75-B/2020 of 31 December, which approves the exceptional situations of delay in the payment of the rent due under the terms of housing and non-housing urban lease, under the COVID-19 pandemic. It establishes the guarantee of supply of the essential services of water, electricity, natural gas and electronic communications until 31 December 2021.
The rules for guaranteeing the supply of the essential services were further clarified by the Decree-Law 70-A/2021 of 6 August.
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Use of measure
Information not available.
Target groups
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Workers
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Businesses
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Citizens
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Does not apply to workers
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Does not apply to businesses
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Applies to all citizens
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Actors and funding
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Actors
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Funding
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National government
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No special funding required
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Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
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Trade unions
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Employers' organisations
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Role
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No involvement as case not in social partner domain
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No involvement as case not in social partner domain
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Form
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Not applicable
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Not applicable
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Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
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No involvement
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Main level of involvement: N/A
Involvement
Not applicable.
Views and reactions
Not applicable.
Sources
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10 April 2020: Lei n.º 7/2020 - Diário da República n.º 71-A/2020, Série I Publicação: Diário da República n.º 71-A/2020, Série I
(data.dre.pt)
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29 May 2020: LEI N.º 18/2020 - DIÁRIO DA REPÚBLICA N.º 105/2020, SÉRIE I
(data.dre.pt)
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07 July 2021: Decreto-Lei n.º 56-B/2021
(data.dre.pt)
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06 August 2021: Decreto-Lei n.º 70-A/2021
(data.dre.pt)
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24 December 2021: Decreto-Lei n.º 119-B/2021 de 23 de dezembro
(files.dre.pt)
