Good afternoon to you all and welcome to this week’s Briefing, which I begin with a request for anyone who sent an e-mail to the info@afpop.com e-mail address last weekend and who has not received a reply, to please send the e-mail again. We had a problem with that specific e-mail address, which I’m happy to say has now been rectified.

After the last Briefing, a Member contacted us to advise us that there is now an Honorary Irish Consul for the Algarve, Andrea Viegas, who is a Portuguese lawyer with a practice in Almancil. Andrea has an Irish husband, hence the connection to that country and I was pleased to be able to meet with her last week and introduce the Association to her and offer our support in communicating with our Members. Andrea is planning some events already and any Irish Members who might not already be aware of the new honorary Consul can contact Andrea though her consular e-mail andrea.viegas@honoraryconsul.ie. I wish her well in her new role.

I’m sure you’ve probably seen that the weather agency IPMA has issued yellow and orange warnings on mainland Portugal due to rain, wind and stormy seas. An Atlantic storm will affect the weather in Portugal in the next few days, so please take care and remember the brolly if you’re venturing out.

With a reminder about the Association’s AGM at the end of the month, here is this week’s information:

Annual General Meeting

The 37^th Annual General Meeting of afpop will take place on Saturday the 29^th of March at the Hotel Jardim do Vau in Portimão. The meeting will start at 10am and the paperwork can be downloaded HERE.

Bus strike Madeira

The National Union of Drivers and Other Workers (SNMOT) has scheduled another 24-hour strike for 13^th of March aimed at all workers in the Public and Private Passenger Road Collective Transport sector in Madeira.

Land Law

The Government has approved an amendment to the Legal Framework for Land Management (RJIGT), known as the Land Law (Lei dos Solos), to increase the land available for housing construction and strengthen the response to the housing crisis.

The simplified conversion of rustic land into urban land for the construction of housing can only be done for the construction of public housing, houses intended for affordable rent or at controlled costs. Proof of sources of financing and economic viability is now mandatory.

The new legislation does not compromise environmental and agricultural protection and defers the decision on land reclassification (from Rústico to Urbano) in the hands of the Municipalities, ensuring a transparent and controlled process.

The law is now awaiting approval by the President.

Almancil becomes a town

Almancil, in the municipality of Loulé, is now officially recognised as a town (Cidade) as of Saturday the 27^th of February 2025. This change can bring several benefits, including better access to services, increased economic opportunities and a higher profile for the community. It’s a way of acknowledging that the village has grown beyond its original size and function and now functions more like a town.

ETA – Travelling to the UK - reminder

A reminder to people intending to travel to the UK that it is now necessary for people of certain nationalities to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and that by April 2025, all visitors who do not require a Visa to enter the UK will need an ETA to enter the country.

Currently citizens of 49 countries outside the European Union, including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, now need to obtain an ETA to travel to the UK and as from the 2^nd of April 2025, citizens of 34 European countries will also need to obtain an ETA to enter the UK and this can now be applied for. More information on who can apply online for the ETA can be find here: https://www.gov.uk/.../apply-for-an-electronic-travel...

Tourism conference

The Algarve Tourism Board (RTA) is hosting their annual conference “Algarve Tourism: overcoming challenges, building tomorrow”, on the 18^th of March 2025 at the Congress Centre of the EPIC SANA Algarve Hotel, in Praia da Falésia, Albufeira, starting at 09h00.

The event will bring together experts, industry leaders and important national and international figures to discuss the challenges and opportunities of tourism in the Algarve and anyone who would like to attend can register for the event HERE. Please note that the conference will be held in Portuguese.

The opening session will be attended by the President of Turismo de Portugal, Carlos Abade, and the closing will be carried out by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Pedro Machado, among other renowned speakers.

Water restrictions Algarve

The water monitoring committee is meeting on the 10^th of March in Faro to discuss the easing of water restrictions in the Algarve and as soon as we have more information, we will include it in these Briefings.

The Government also announced an increase in investments for the region of 103 million euros, highlighting 27 million for water efficiency measures in the hydro-agricultural perimeter of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão and ten million for water efficiency measures to reinforce the low-water public supply and for the use of treated wastewater.

Father’s Day

Father's Day is a commemorative date that annually honours fathers. The date varies depending on the country and in Portugal it is celebrated on 19^th of March. As part of the update to our website, this date is also included in the Event section of the Member Portal, along with other holidays and important dates throughout the year.

Portugália strike - reminder

The union of Portuguese airline pilots, SIPLA, is planning a partial strike for Portugália Airline pilots (TAP's low-cost branch) from 12th to 27th of March. Portugália flies from the three main Portuguese airports and also Madeira and Açores.

Please check with TAP if you have booked a flight in this period.

MOVE.Tavira - reminder

A reminder that the 17th edition of MOVE.Tavira, a solidarity initiative organised by the Associação Oncológica do Algarve (AOA) in partnership with the Municipality of Tavira, the Union of Parishes of Tavira and Taviraverde, will start at Praça da República, in Tavira, on the 16^th of March.

With accessible routes of 5 and 9 kilometres, the event is part of the Algarve Walking and Running Calendar of the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth and aims to raise awareness of the importance of cancer prevention, especially breast cancer and to promote healthy lifestyles through sport and a balanced diet and, at the same time, raise funds to support cancer patients and their families. You can register HERE.

AFPOP Presents…

Lisbon Area - We would like to remind Members that there are still a few places left for our information session in Cascais on the subject of Mental Health - "Spotting the Signs, Dispelling the Myths", in conjunction with the Alzheimer Portugal Association. The presentation will take place in Cascais on the 4th of April, from 11h30 until 12h30. If you live in the Lisbon area or surroundings and have not yet booked your place, there is still time to do so.

Please note that this is open to anyone who is interested and not only afpop Members. There is a ten euro charge for non-members, which will be donated the Alzheimer’s Portugal.

Places can be reserved by contacting Marisa on apoio@afpop.com.

Algarve Area - We are pleased to inform Members that the AFPOP Presents programme has a new health-related theme, this time focused on women's health - Breast Wellness. This topic it will be presented twice in the Algarve area. The first one it will be held in Lagos on the 9th of May and the second one in Tavira on 9th of June (both in the morning time) in conjunction with Associação Oncológica do Algarve. For those interested, please register via email: apoio@afpop.com

Satellite Offices

If you need advice or assistance, wish to introduce a new Member to the Association, need to renew your subscription or just have a general query, please pass by and see us. We ask you to make an appointment and to inform us about your enquiry, so staff can come prepared to assist you. Please contact the afpop office to make an appointment on 282 458 509 or info@afpop.com.

The next dates of the Satellites are:

Almancil - Tuesday 25^th of Marchbetween 10h00 and 12h30 (premises of MEDAL Seguros)
Lagos - Wednesday 26^th of March between 10h00 and 12h30 (premises of MediLagos on R. José Ferreira Canelas, which is behind the Câmara building)

Welcome to you all and please remember that you can always find us on social media HERE (Facebook) and HERE (Instagram).

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