Portugal Approves Anti-Corruption Strategy

The Government of Portugal has presented the National Anti-Corruption Strategy in the areas of prevention and repression, and has given a general overview of some diplomas that will be presented to the Parliament.

In terms of repression, the Government foresees a harmonisation of the 15-year statute of limitations for corruption crimes and other economic-financial crimes committed by officials and holders of political positions, the breaking of the silence pacts between the parties through the possibility of waiving or reducing the penalty, under certain conditions, by improving the mechanism that already exists today and also the provisional suspension of the process for those who report the crime and cooperate in the discovery of the truth.

Regarding prevention, a General Regime of Prevention of Corruption will be created for the public and private sectors, a Protection Regime for Whistleblowers, with the transposition of the European Directive, and the creation of the Corruption Prevention Body.