Latest news and stories about competitiveness in Portugal for expats and residents.
Miguel Relvas criticizes the government's lack of proactive measures to maintain economic competitiveness, proposing the implementation of non-habitual resident programs and Golden Visas to attract digital talent back to the country.
EU leaders are increasingly recognizing the need to address the competitiveness crisis, with calls for urgent political and economic action. While past analyses have highlighted the issue of slow growth, it has not been treated as an immediate emergency. Leaders like Costa advocate for a political boost, while Macron proposes a significant economic overhaul to stimulate growth.
The Draghi Report's ambitions force Europe to confront uncomfortable realities: it is falling significantly behind global competitors. The analysis argues that the ‘race’ has been underway for years and that closing the gap requires urgent, active policy choices — including structural reforms, targeted investment and a renewed focus on competitiveness across the single market.
Technological sovereignty, innovation and European competitiveness were some of the topics addressed by Francesca Bria, professor and innovation economist, at an Axians dinner in partnership with the Portuguese Association for the Development of Communications (APDC). Expresso joined as media partner.
Two years after Mario Draghi warned of the risk of European economic decline, recent data suggests he was right: the EU is expected to grow by only 1.4% in 2026, roughly half the pace of the US. However, some evidence indicates that behind this stagnation, there are shifts signaling changes in the future dynamics of the Eurozone economy. The European response includes stimulus programs like NextGenerationEU and a renewed focus on competitiveness. While the industrial landscape is shifting, with traditional sectors like automotive declining, there is growth in tech, batteries, and defence. For Portugal, while the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) has aided modernisation, the country must now focus on scaling companies, attracting venture capital, and defining a clear commercial strategy beyond the EU to compete in these emerging high-productivity sectors.
Portugal ranks among the top 10 European countries for foreign direct investment.
The president of the Portuguese Farmers' Confederation is seeking financial support from the state to ensure the agricultural sector can compete effectively with neighboring Spain.
The Draghi Report on European competitiveness turned two years old on September 9th. According to a think tank that monitors the implementation of the proposals, cited by Alessandro Gropelli, Director General of Connect Europe, the assessment is very negative: 15.7% of recommendations have been implemented overall, and about 6% in the digital and technological domain. Specifically, in telecommunications, ...
The Portuguese agri-food sector is hindered by a siloed mentality where individual links in the chain compete rather than collaborate. To compete internationally and overcome systemic challenges like bureaucracy and energy costs, the industry must adopt a unified approach. By sharing information and aligning interests, the sector can increase its collective value rather than fighting over shrinking margins, ultimately proving that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
António Costa uses a football metaphor to argue that Europe must have “champions” to boost the bloc's competitiveness. The President of the European Council argued that it is necessary to mobilise the talent of the 27 European nations. Sport was the formula used to convey the message that Europe needs to be...
The AICEP Forum 2026 addresses the factors influencing the international competitiveness of the Portuguese economy.
Wars, tariffs, and higher energy prices have had a negative impact on European and national competitiveness. According to the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2026, Portugal has fallen three positions, moving from 37th to 40th place among 70 economies, largely due to the 'systemic effect of Europe,' explains Arturo Bris, director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center, in...
Europe is losing two races at the same time. It is losing the industry of the past, such as steel, ceramics, and chemicals, and it is losing the industry of the future, the data centres that will train AI.
There are several reasons to build a major national commitment regarding the topic of competitiveness. Opinion by José da Silva Peneda
Portugal has dropped to 40th position in the latest IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, marking a decline of three spots.
Portugal has dropped three places in the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) competitiveness ranking, now sitting at 40th out of 70 economies, in a list led by Singapore. While the country saw progress in 'Economic Performance', it regressed in the pillars of 'Business Efficiency', 'Government Efficiency', and 'Infrastructure'. The report highlights that despite economic improvements, Portugal continues to lose ground in structural competitiveness factors such as institutional, corporate, and infrastructure efficiency. Porto Business School dean José Esteves notes that while Portugal has excellent professionals and is an open economy, future competitiveness depends on transforming assets into productivity, innovation, and scale.
Carneiro criticised the way the six billion from the European defence fund is being used: 'The money arrives in Portugal and leaves again'. The economy is losing competitiveness, he warned.
Europe does not need to scare away industry in the name of industry. It needs to create the conditions for producing in Europe to once again be a competitive advantage.
The PS Secretary-General insisted that it is necessary to “build this economic policy solution with tranquillity”.
Europe is reinventing itself. Pressured by geoeconomic competition from the United States and China, the urgency of the climate transition, and security imperatives arising from instability on its eastern border, the European Commission presented, in mid-2025, a proposal that represents the most profound transformation of the community budget in recent decades.
The newly established Technical University of Porto aims to enhance Portugal's national competitiveness.
In recent articles, I argued that changing labour laws is not a magic solution for Portuguese competitiveness, which depends primarily on investment. Portugal continues to invest less than necessary, compromising its future. While gross fixed capital formation has recovered to 20.4% of GDP in 2024, it remains below 2008 levels. The reliance on the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) masks a structural weakness in public investment, and the new long-term plan (PTRR) may not provide the necessary annual momentum to sustain growth. Ultimately, Portugal needs a consistent, long-term investment strategy that does not rely solely on European funding to overcome its productivity gap.
ANTRAM met with the ministry this morning to find solutions for the transport sector. For now, strikes and protests are off the table.
Leaders had hoped to focus on the EU's long-term competitiveness problem. Instead, they're back to firefighting.
This conclusion is part of a survey conducted by the Portuguese Industrial Association.
Leaders of the European Council reaffirmed their commitment to reforming the internal market during a retreat focused on competitiveness. Reducing energy prices is one of the priorities.
Leaders will meet on 12 February to discuss reducing the EU's dependencies in certain sectors, strengthening strategic autonomy and European competitiveness.
“The next year will be decisive for the advancement of the circular economy, both in Portugal and in the European Union. We are entering a phase of regulatory consolidation and practical implementation,” says Ana Costa, Director of Sustainability and Blue Economy at Beta-i. The European landscape is marked by the Circular Economy Act (CEA), which has just concluded ...
