Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

My first words are to wish you all, and your families, a year of 2014 with the best of health and as prosperous as possible. And I also want to thank you for all the efforts you have developed in the year now ended, in the defence of Portugal’s external interests and in the portraying of our country’s image. I equally wish to refer the professionalism with which I was aided in my travels abroad, by the members of the Diplomatic Corps and by the staffs of the Embassies and Consulates.

The year now ended – 2013 – as we are all aware, was a difficult year for Portugal and difficult for the majority of Portuguese families. Who, however, and once more, demonstrated great sense of courage and responsibility.

But, in the past year, some positive signs started to appear in the economy, which allows us to face this new year – 2014 – with a slightly better hope.

Portugal, in accordance with the data of the National Statistics Institute, has risen out of the economic recession in which it was submerged since the end of 2010. The country recorded positive economic growth in the second and third quarters, and the perspectives of the Central Bank are that the economy has continued growing in the fourth quarter of the year.

External trade performed a relevant role in the growth of our economy. I stress, here, external trade, due to the ever greater role that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been assuming in the economic recovery and, particularly, the strategic dimension of economic diplomacy, through the support to companies’ internationalization, capturing foreign investment, export promotion and tourist allurement.

In the year just ended Portugal registered a surplus in the Balance of Goods and Services. This had not happened for many decades. Portugal, in the year that ended, registered an external financing capability, which had not happened for more than many years. This means that our entrepreneurs were able to gain market share in several countries, particularly in countries outside the European Union.

This is what gives us hope that 2014 will be a year of some economic growth and reduction of unemployment. The latter is still at levels which are socially difficult to accept, and the rates of unemployment that still exist in our country are dramatic for many Portuguese families.

But it is obvious that foreign policy is not confined to economic diplomacy. There are other features, equally important, such as the case of the European Union, CPLP, the Atlantic feature, the Mediterranean feature, and the Portuguese Communities living abroad.

In the year that ended, we were successful in Portugal’s election to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, we were able to conclude a successful negotiation in the multiannual financial framework of the EU and we assumed, very professionally, the joint presidency of the western Mediterranean dialogue – the so called Dialogue 5 + 5.

But we have new challenges facing us in 2014, such as our election to the United Nations Human Rights Committee. I believe this to be properly going forward and much is due to the work developed by the Ambassadors and their staffs. But we have to continue working to achieve, in effect, success in this election to the Human Rights Committee.

Also facing us are some difficult negotiations within the framework of the European Union. We must follow up with great interest the negotiations between the EU and the United States, with special reference to the partnership of investment and trade, in which we are especially interested. We would appreciate this transatlantic partnership to go ahead, currently being negotiated between the EU and the USA.

I also want to underline the relevance of the theme that was chosen for this year’s Diplomatic Seminar. The main feature was trade and the EU’s trading policy. It was a privilege to welcome as special guest Ambassador Roberto Azevedo, who was elected to the office of Director General of the World Trade Organization and was empowered on 1 September. And who remains from now on associated to the agreement achieved in Bali.

There is no doubt that this is an important step in world trade multilateralism. We are all hoping that this is a very important step in order to arrive at a successful conclusion in the Doha Round. And, for this reason, I believe it was a privilege for us his having accepted our invitation to take part in this Seminar, three months after assuming such an important office as Director General of the World Trade Organization.

The coming year is also an election year to the European Parliament. This election will take place within a very special framework, in which the capability to muster citizens to support the project of the European Union, with which we agree, will be put to the test. It won’t be an easy task, especially at this time when there are 22 million unemployed in the EU, in which there are many voices that consider the EU is unable to answer the real concerns of the citizens. An election which will be held in May, and regarding which we must all be on alert.

But, 2014 is a crucial year for Portugal, as anyway has already been referred by the Foreign Minister.

The adjustment programme negotiated in 2011, and which we have been implementing with utmost strictness, will be coming to an end. Indications we dispose of at this time are that Portugal will successfully conclude the adjustment programme. This means that Portugal, in line with the data I have available at this time, will not require a second bail-out.

A precautionary programme is something quite different. Any country that is subject – be it Portugal or any other – to an adjustment programme and concludes it successfully may benefit from a credit line. This is somewhat similar to a safety net which will remain available in case difficulties arise in the placing of public debt in the international markets.

In addition to this, however, it is also a guarantee that is given to the markets that the country in question will continue to conduct policies in the sense of the sustainability of their public finance. This contributes to risk reduction and that of the risk associated costs.

It is an illusion to think that exits “a la Irish” have no costs. A country such as Ireland – as a country such as Portugal would not, by chance, have a precautionary programme – will continue subject to the budgetary treaty and to the rules covering budgetary discipline and the supervision of economic policies that it entails. It will continue subject to the six-pack, to the two-pack, and will continue obliged to submit its budget to the European Commission, before it is submitted to the respective country’s Parliament.

Thus these exits “a la Irish” also have costs. And the precautionary programmes, in accordance with many opinions, enable a substantial reduction of the costs associated to the risks that may arise in the difficulties of placing securities in the international markets.

This is thus a very decisive year for our country. And we trust your efforts, your work, to lessen the risks that may arise in this path, to consolidate our economy and to accelerate the fight against unemployment.

I manifest my total confidence in the Portuguese Diplomatic Corps to defend Portugal’s external interests and to portray the country’s image.

You have already proved yourselves throughout the years. Very clear proofs, in recent years, of attracting investments to Portugal, in the defence of the “Portugal label”, in the support provided to entrepreneurs, in export promotion, in tourist allurement. It is this work that must continue being carried out in 2014.

I want to take advantage of this occasion, once again, to thank you all for the efforts developed. In the year that ended, to defend Portugal’s external interests and in the portraying of Portugal’s image. Your contribution towards the reversal of the trend which we want to consolidate in the Portuguese economy and, as such, the support you provide for the resolution of several social issues in our country.

Because of this, I end my words just as I started, by wishing a Happy New Year to all of you and your families. That 2014 becomes, in fact, the year of reversal of the trends in our country.

I thank you all very much.