The mandatory use of the Internet for communications between the public and the social security authorities is one of the innovations in the new tax law that takes effect as from 1 January 2011. From now on, communications, requests and the performance of obligations to make declarations must be made online in order to speed up the processes. From now on banking sector employees are covered by the general social security provisions and benefit from the protections associated with maternity, paternity, adoption and old age. The changes were approved by the Council of Ministers on 9 December and are awaiting publication Diário da República – the Portuguese official gazette. These are some of the changes highlighted in the Informative Note published by PLMJ’s tax practice area.