The President of the Republic presided at the meeting of the Council of State, the agenda for which was “Economic, social and political situation, following the completion of the Adjustment Programme, and the 2014-2020 Partnership Agreement between Portugal and the European Union for Structural Funds”.

The following communiqué was published at the end of the meeting:

“1 – The President of the Republic held today a meeting of the Council of State, in line with the provisions of article no. 145, item e), second part, of the Constitution, with the following agenda: “Economic, social and political situation, following the completion of the Adjustment Programme and the 2014-2020 Partnership Agreement between Portugal and the European Union for Structural Funds”.
2 – The Council of State analysed the current Portuguese social and economic situation, following the results of the Adjustment Programme, completed on 17 May last, and discussed the necessary conditions in order that the Country, in this new stage of national life, is able to overcome the challenge for a sustainable economic and employment growth, together with the preservation of cohesion and social justice, with sustainability of public finance and balanced external accounts, and with the reversion of the current demographic trend.
3 – The Councillors of State recognized that the overcoming of the referred challenge would imply:
• On the one hand, an active Portuguese stance in the European Union on behalf of growth, employment and cohesion, especially within the ongoing process of deepening the economic, budgetary and banking union;
• On the other hand, the very discerning use of structural funds comprised in the 2014-2020 Partnership Agreement between Portugal and the European Union, which should contribute towards obtaining positive results in overcoming the structural constraints of the Portuguese economy in issues such as competitiveness, internationalization and regional development asymmetries.
4 – Concerning the gravity of the demands faced by the Country, the Council of State incites all political and social forces, within the framework of democratic diversity and pluralism, to preserve amongst them the bridges for constructive dialogue and to place their best efforts in arriving at understandings as to permanent national objectives, a decisive factor to retain the trust and the hope of the Portuguese.

2014-07-03”