Government will charge oil profits: How? Where's the money going?

O Government proposes a 33% rate on the share of oil profits in 2026 exceeding by more than 20% the average of 2024 and 2025. This money will be channeled to support for families, firefighters, social sector and transport.

The question is: bill creating the Temporary Solidarity Contribution on the Oil Sector (CSTSP), delivered by the executive to the Assembly of the Republic and which will now have to be assessed by Members. 

What does the government proposal provide for?

According to the proposal, the contribution relates to the share of the taxable profit of 2026 which exceeds the average taxable profits recorded in 2024 and 2025 by more than 20% 33% rate.

The revenue collected will be allocated to the Environmental Fund and the Agricultural and Fisheries Finance Institute (IFAP) and should be used exclusively for the financing of measures adopted after 28 february 2026.

Where's the money going?

Among the recipients are final consumers of fossil fuels, in particular families, humanitarian associations of firefighters and social sector entities, as well as freight and passenger transport companies with public service obligations.

What companies will be taxed?

The contribution applies to companies resident or with a “stable establishment” in Portugal that carry out activities in the crude oil and refining sectors, considering entities that obtain at least 37.5% of turnover in these activities.

The diploma is of an extraordinary and temporary nature, applying only to the period of taxation beginning in 2026.

The government justifies the measure with the rise in fossil fuel prices and the exceptional growth of profit margins in the oil sector, in particular in extraction and refining.

“The global macroeconomic and geopolitical environment has dictated persistent instability in international energy markets, resulting in an extraordinary rise in fossil fuel prices,” reads the document, in a reference to the current context of geopolitical instability in the Middle East.

“ In view of this reality, the principle of solidarity demands that sectors that benefit materially from an adverse environment contribute proportionately to mitigate its effects on the most vulnerable sectors, the companies most exposed to the adverse effects of rising fuel prices,” adds the proposal signed by the Prime Minister, the Minister for Finance and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

In cases where the average taxable profit of 2024 and 2025 is negative, the proposal determines that this average is considered to be zero, causing the contribution to the total taxable profit of 2026.

The CSTSP will not be deductible for the purposes of calculating the taxable profit in IRC, even when it is accounted for as expenditure in the tax period.