With the relaunching of the Lisbon Strategy by the Spring European Council in March 2005, it was also decided that the Member States of the European Union would be in charge of elaborating a National Reform Plan, which, incorporating the common guidelines and specific recommendations and taking into account national specificities, should reflect a National Strategy for the achieving of the Lisbon goals.
It was also recommended the designation by each country of a national coordinator for the Lisbon Strategy, who, in direct consultation with the respective Prime Minister, should coordinate the elaboration of the above mentioned National Strategy as well as, once this strategy had been established, monitor its implementation.
In Portugal – through the Resolution of the Council of Ministers nº 176/2005 – a flexible structure of National Coordination for the Lisbon Strategy has been created under the coordination of Carlos Zorrinho, Full Professor of the University of Évora.
The Portuguese National Reform Plan, designated "Lisbon Strategy – Portugal Anew: National Action Programme for Growth and Jobs (PNACE 2005/2008)", has been presented to the European Commission on the 15th of October 2005. This Programme, which constitutes an agenda for transforming and reforming action, aims to mobilize public and private agents for the implementation of a set of concrete policies designed to promote credibility, confidence, modernization and cohesion. Its four main strategic priorities are the following: (i) sustainability of public accounts; (ii) modernization of the Public Administration; (iii) promotion of scientific and technological development and innovation; and (iv) improving the qualification model in order to obtain a lifelong learning culture and access to the knowledge society.
In direct articulation with the the PNACE 2005/2008 and reflecting the preoccupation with the qualification level of the Portuguese, the scientific and technological development, the promotion of innovation and the creation of an environment more attractive to business, the Technological Plan has been elaborated in order to achieve the some of the most emblematic Lisbon goals.
Considering the intrinsic link between the priorities, objectives and concrete measures envisaged by both programmes as well as the essencial role played by the Lisbon Guidelines in the elaboration of the Technological Plan, the Council of Ministers, by means of the Resolution 574/2005, enlarged the ambit of the mission of Prof. Carlos Zorrinho, who has been designated as the National Coordinator of the Lisbon Strategy and the Technological Plan.
Within the scope of his functions, the National Coordinator for the Lisbon Strategy and the Technological Plan coordinates the joint work developed by the Coordination Network for the Lisbon Strategy, being this network formed by the personal representatives of the various Ministers and by the coordinators of the Mission Units envolved with the concrete measures foressen in the Programme.
Staff National Coordinator of the Lisbon Strategy and the Technological Plan