Portugal was the EU country with the lowest fertility rate in 2014 with just 1.23 babies per woman and recorded the biggest drop in births since 2001.
 
The data from Eurostat show that in 2014, 5.1 million babies were born in the 28 Member States compared to 5.0 million in 2001, an increase in the fertility rate from 1.46 to 1.58 in four years.

Expat Britons living in Europe have launched legal action for their right to vote in the UK referendum on the EU.

The High Court proceedings could mean that the 23 June referendum has to be delayed in order for as many as two million names to be put on the register of voters.

The Secretary of State for Infrastructures said today that the government is investing and will invest further in the national rail network to 'finally reverse the cycle, already too long, of the abandonment of rail transport'.

By 2020, Portugal will invest an average of €460 million per year on the rail system road, a "clear and unequivocal" commitment, said Secretary of State, Guilherme W. d’Oliveira Martins who did not mention the usual 75% contribution from European funds as this would make the government appear less generous and inspired.

The Golden Visa trial process for 17 defendants identified in Operation Labyrinth will start on April 8th.

'Super Judge' Carlos Alexandre today confirmed the date for the trial of the former Interior Minister Miguel Macedo, the former national director of the Aliens and Borders Service, Manuel Jarmela Palos, the former president of the Institute of Registries and Notaries, António Figueiredo and the former Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice, Maria Antonia Anes and others.

The head of the German Pegida group, which is avowedly against the Islamisation of Europe, has been summoned to stand trial for hate speech.

Lutz Bachmann, 43, had been charged in October with inciting hatred for a series of posts on Pegida’s Facebook page, according to a court in Dresden.

A Spaniard has been sent to prison for one year over his Facebook comments that “killing fascists” was his favourite sport.

Javier Omaña, 34,was sentenced by Spain’s National Court for inciting terrorism for his series of messages.

Consumer champion Deco received 700,000 complaints last year, 24% more than in 2014, with Portugal’s the water and energy companies leading the field.

For years the telecoms sector has topped the list with angry customers resorting to Deco, having got nowhere with in-house complaints procedures.

The Rota Vicentina walking route between Santiago do Cacém, Sines, in the Alentejo and the Algarve's Cape St. Vincent has won European certification and is now one of the  ‘Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe’ as defined by the all-important European Ramblers Association.

"This is a very demanding certification process that looks at several factors, including the quality and nature of the trails, the beauty of the landscape, safety, access, the information provided to hikers and the quality of the route’s signage, among many other” commented the Rota Vicentina management.