1 - What is the Technological Plan?

2 - In what context did the need to create a technological Plan for Portugal arise?

3 - Are the Technological Plan and the PNACE 2005-2008 final documents?

4 - When will the Technological Plan produce concrete results?

5 - Which is the budget meant for the Technological Plan?

6 - Who are the members of the Consultative Council?

7 - Is the Consultative Council already fully operational?

8 - How will the Consultative Council work?

1 - What is the Technological Plan?

The Technological Plan is an action agenda for all the Portuguese society. As a strategy meant to promote development and competitiveness in Portugal, the Technological Plan is based on three axes: to qualify the Portuguese for the knowledge society, to overcome the scientific and technological gap, and to boost Innovation, helping the productive chain to get adapted to the challenges of Globalization. In order to accomplish these global aims, the Technological Plan includes a group of specific objectives dully quantified as well as a group of measures to be implemented directly by the Government in partnership with the Civil Society.

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2 - In what context did the need to create a technological Plan for Portugal arise?

The pace of economic growth in Portugal has slowed down in recent years. This reflects both conjunctural factors related to the world economic cycle and the undelayable need to restore a fundamental macroeconomic balance, and also structural constraints, notably in terms of the quality of human capital and institutions which limit the potential for innovation and the economy’s ability to adapt to the conflicts it is inevitably exposed to. The Portuguese economy must return to having sustained growth. It is necessary to foster more dynamism and adaptability through innovation. The Technological Plan is an action plan which puts an articulated set of policies into practice that are aimed to stimulate the creation, diffusion, absorption and use of knowledge, as the springboard for Portugal’s transformation into a dynamic economy capable of affirming itself in the global economy.

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3 - Are the Technological Plan and the PNACE 2005-2008 final documents?

No. In both cases, they are dynamic documents which are constantly evolving; they result from listening to all those involved and from public debate on the measures, in the specific case of the Technological Plan, linked to innovation and competitiveness of the Portuguese economy, and in the case of the PNACE 2005-2008, to a broad set of policies aimed at increasing employment and economic growth. These measures are the result of efforts made by the different Ministries involved. Hence, these Plans could be altered so as to include contributions from the entities involved and the results of the evaluation of its Initiatives that are in progress.

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4 - When will the Technological Plan produce concrete results?

With most of its measures already in progress, the implementation of the Technological Plan is being rapidly fulfilled. In order to enable a permanent monitoring of its implementation process, an online monitoring system of the execution of the plan (SMPT) has been created. However, it must be stressed that the structural impacts deriving from the accomplishment of the foreseen measures will only arise gradually. Our aim is to reach the European average in innovation and competitiveness within ten years, without prejudice of the immediate creation of excellence domains.

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5 - Which is the budget meant for the Technological Plan?

The Technological Plan is not a fund neither shall all of its measures be implemented by means of financial instruments. Under the public point of view, its budget is the amount necessary for the implementation of its measures enrooted in the governmental budget or in the respective Operational Programmes meant for the next period of time running from 2007 until 2013.

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6 - Who are the members of the Consultative Council?

The Consultative Council will bring together a group of specialist in the area of innovation, including representatives from Civil Society, notably businessmen, academics and policy decision-makers.

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7 - Is the Consultative Council of the Technological Plan already fully operational?

Yes. Its first meeting took place in November 2005 by the occasion of the launching of the Technological Plan. The second one took place on 29 July 2006, when the first results of the monitoring system of the implementation of the plan (SMPT) have been announced.

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8 - How will the Consultative Council work?

The Consultative Council should meet regularly to evaluate the evolution of the Technological Plan. Consultative Councils may also be called whenever necessary for regional and sectorial purposes.

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