Porto waives municipal tax for market sellers till the end of 2020

The measure aims to help struggling families who are the main merchants there

Last night the Municipal Assembly of Porto voted unanimously to exempt sellers who operate at the city’s street fairs and markets from paying municipal tax. The measure is retroactive and will go back until 13 March and last until 31 December.

The city extends a helping hand to its small business owners

The proposal was tabled by councillor Rui Moreira and after its adoption it was swiftly approved by the Executive Council.

The new measure is expected to amount to EUR 131 000 which will be one burden less for the small traders who work the stalls at the markets. Most of them are families who have been struggling after the anti-Covid-19 measures were implemented.

Susana Constante Pereira, a councillor from the Bloco de Esquerda (Leftist Bloc) party, defended the measure stating that many families had been left without a source of income because of the epidemic.

The tax exemption will apply only to merchants who have regularized their tax status with the authorities. Fortunately, any fees that have been paid in the last four months will be reimbursed.

Although this temporary measure will result in lost revenue for the municipal budget, it is not expected that it will destabilize the balance sheets for the fiscal year 2020-2021. This is, in fact, only one of several measures aimed at propping up the city’s economy this year.

Open street markets and covered markets returned to business on 19 June which was sooner than initially planned. This was necessitated due to their enormous popularity and tradition in the eyes of the residents and tourists to Porto.

The return, however, was carefully orchestrated. A Manual of Procedures and Good Practices was published in consultation with the market sellers, giving them a chance to have a voice in the writing of policies which concern them.