The measure, announced in May by the Minister of Youth and Modernization, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, foresees the free provision of menstrual hygiene products in schools and health centres throughout the country starting in September.

According to the resolution, the expected costs for the acquisition of these products cannot exceed eight million euros this year and two million euros in 2025, amounts to which “VAT is not added”, and each amount can be increased by the balance recorded in the previous year.

The Executive's objective with this measure is to combat menstrual poverty, ensuring “equality in access to health and menstrual dignity”, as well as “increasing educational and economic participation”, given that “access to menstrual hygiene products creates conditions for economically vulnerable populations to promote school attendance and participation in economic activities”.

The Resolution of the Council of Ministers comes into effect from the date of its approval, on 22 August, and establishes that the costs are to be met by the amounts entered and to be entered in the DGS budget, using the public tender procedure with publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.