Portugal sued by European Union

The European Commission has initiated infringement proceedings against Portugal because the country has failed to meet European waste recycling targets, particularly those relating to glass, the EU executive announced.

By TPN/Lusa, in News · 08 Jul 2026, 14:33 · 5 Comments

Credits: Unsplash; Author: Christian Lue;

As part of the July infringement package, Brussels sent Portugal a reasoned opinion stating that the country “has not met several waste recycling targets” set out in European legislation.

At issue is the Waste Framework Directive, which establishes mandatory targets for the preparation for reuse and recycling of municipal waste.

Failed to meet the target

Portugal is part of the group of 12 Member States that failed to meet the 50% target for waste such as paper, metal, plastic and glass, which should have been achieved by 2020.

At the same time, the European Commission identified shortcomings in meeting targets set out in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.

According to the institution, “seven Member States failed to meet several targets for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023”, identifying Portugal and Cyprus as the countries that did not meet the specific target relating to glass.

In addition to Portugal, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Poland and Romania received reasoned opinions.

Other countries notified

The European Commission also opened new infringement procedures by sending formal notification letters to Germany, Greece and Cyprus.

For Brussels, “achieving these targets is essential to promote the single market for secondary raw materials and strengthen the circular economy”, contributing to reducing the European Union's dependence on third countries and improving resource efficiency.

The European Commission also underlines that Member States will have to strengthen the application of the rules, taking into account the more demanding recycling targets that will be applied in 2025, 2030 and 2035.

Portugal now has two months to respond to the reasoned opinion and present the measures adopted to correct the identified shortcomings.

If the response is not considered satisfactory, the European Commission may decide to proceed with the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The countries that did not meet the dictatorial mandates of the Soviet E.U. are the happiest of the nations. It is a pleasure to be in Portugal or Spain, for example, not so in the northern sad countries like Belgium.

By P Pinheiro Fabricio from Algarve on 09 Jul 2026, 07:35

I last traveled to Europe in 2009 and already I could see that it was disappearing beneath a shroud of Soviet-style bureaucracy. Now it's obvious that every diktat originating from the EU is meant to punish the southern part of the continent for failing to conform to the climate-alarmist schemes of the north.

By Tony from USA on 09 Jul 2026, 21:54

It is shame that didn't come around where and see how the country being destroyed by the dumping of rubbish in the countryside and in towns and villages and in the streets and even the bin be near everything dump outside of the bins . Complete lack of civilme from people .

By Isabel Oliveira from Lisbon on 10 Jul 2026, 05:58

How do you explain the British then?

By Rui Costas from Algarve on 10 Jul 2026, 09:02

Portuguese have no respect for the environment. They throw trash next to the containers, cigarettes everywhere, no one cares about the future here. Lazy and irresponsible.

By F. Jacob from Porto on 10 Jul 2026, 16:23