Portugal exempts councils meeting recycling targets from waste levy

Portugal's Council of Ministers approved a decree-law exempting municipalities that meet EU targets for reuse and recycling of urban waste from paying the Waste Management Levy (TGR). The law also creates a new model for allocating TGR revenue, channelling most of it to the Environmental Fund to finance waste management and circular economy projects. It strengthens rules on construction and demolition waste, promoting selective deconstruction and safer handling of asbestos, and aligns national rules with the new EU regulation on waste shipments. The government says the changes aim to deepen its commitment to the circular economy and support both municipalities and waste sector operators.