Portuguese government renews commitment to Lisbon agenda
The Portuguese Deputy Minister for the Economy has called for collaboration between ministries and the dismantling of barriers to innovation in order to meet the Lisbon objectives. The Portuguese government adopted in January 2003 a new economic policy underlining the significant role that research and development (R&D) and innovation can play in achieving the objectives of the Lisbon strategy. The 'agenda for growth: economic reform in Portugal and the Lisbon strategy policy' was presented by Deputy Minister for the Economy, Franquelim Alves, during a council meeting of the organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD) on 29 April in Paris. In his speech, Mr Alves outlined the measures to be taken in order to fulfil the Lisbon agenda of making the EU the most dynamic and competitive knowledge based economy in the world by 2010. 'In Portugal, the level of R&D activities undertaken by firms is low. On the other hand, public expenditure in that kind of activity is close to the European average. Thus, the challenge that Portugal faces in this matter is to create the conditions for a greater involvement of firms and to establish an effective bridge between research centres and businesses,' said Mr Alves. The reform policy notes that the ministries of science and economics should work closely together, undertaking simultaneously any action in the field of R&D. In terms of financial responsibilities, both ministries would share the obligation to make funds available to support the take-up of applied R&D and the creation and development of technology based firms. Furthermore, Mr Alves stressed the need to bring down the barriers to innovation by promoting innovative programmes associated with the financing of higher risk projects through venture and seed capital. Other actions such as creating a friendly business environment and enhancing market efficiency through the improvement of the regulatory environment, liberalisation and competition were also highlighted by Mr Alves, as key to Portugal's economic agenda. He concluded by calling for the creation of '[...] a new set of dynamic indicators to measure more adequately the level of structural changes adopted by each country' and for the political will 'to meet the goals, which can turn EU into the world's most competitive economy.'
Kraje
Portugal