The Portuguese Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CPPME) demanded on Monday that the Government immediately fix fuel prices and adopt seven urgent measures to contain the generalized increase in production costs, warning that the survival of thousands of small businesses and agricultural holdings across the country is at risk. The organization warns that the business fabric is facing another "brutal increase" in fuels, at a time when micro, small and medium enterprises are already living in a situation of "daily suffocation," after a year start marked by extreme weather events that affected economic activity.
CPPME recalls that it had already issued joint alerts in April with business and agricultural associations about the need to stop the imminent economic crisis, emphasizing that the current situation has even more concerning contours. The confederation reiterates that it is not possible to demand that MSMEs bear these increases indefinitely while their margins and incomes continue to be "crushed" by the chain worsening of raw materials, energy, transport and other services.
In response to the appeal of the Prime Minister, who asked the Portuguese for understanding for the effort the State is making, CPPME emphasized that "the State is all of us" — workers, entrepreneurs, farmers and families —, warning that the effort of small and medium enterprises "has limits" and that current policies are contributing to the "destruction of the national economic fabric." Luís Montenegro indicated that the discount on fuel tax already amounts to "about 700 million euros" in 2026 and admitted new measures if prices remain at the level of the last four weeks.
The seven measures demanded by CPPME include effective control of the energy market with transparency in price formation, limits against speculation and reinforcement of State inspection. It also demands unconditional financial support for the most exposed enterprises and agricultural holdings, extension of access to professional diesel to all transport sectors, return of the increased fuel tax revenue, end of double taxation and reduction of VAT on fuels. The confederation also advocates acceleration of the energy transition with increased funding to reduce external dependence and the creation of a public program for joint purchases of fertilizers for agriculture.
