Portugal Digital

March 2020

Strategies and Action Plans

Portugal’s Action Plan for Digital Transition aims to position the country as a competitive and strengthened entity in the international digital landscape. The plan outlines a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the country’s digital transformation while ensuring inclusivity and leveraging the digital age’s potential. The plan is structured around three primary pillars, each with specific sub-pillars and goals, as well as a cross-cutting catalyst dimension to enhance the overall digital transition.

Executive Summary

Imperative Digital Transition: In the context of the fourth industrial revolution, digitization is crucial for Portugal to become more competitive globally. The Action Plan for Digital Transition aims to achieve this by focusing on three main areas:

  1. Digital Empowerment of People
  2. Businesses’ Digital Transformation
  3. Public Services’ Digitization

Strategy Framework and Definition

Priority for Portugal: Digital transition is vital for Portugal’s economic growth and competitiveness. The strategy is aligned with European digital priorities and leverages various programs and strategies to maximise outcomes.

Guiding Principles:

  1. Transversal Focus: Addressing citizens, businesses, and public services.
  2. Ambition: Positioning Portugal as an international digital reference.
  3. Pragmatism: Utilising existing digital programs and strategies.
  4. Involvement: Engaging public and private agents in implementation.
  5. Communication and Promotion: Promoting the strategy nationally and internationally.
  6. Monitoring and Accountability: Implementing a transparent monitoring model.
  7. Replication, Reuse, and Sustainability: Learning from past successes and failures to avoid redundancy and promote standardisation.

Strategic Pillars and Goals

  1. Pillar I: Capacity Building and Digital Inclusion
    • Digital Education: Integrating technologies in education to improve learning quality.
    • Professional Training and Reskilling: Offering vocational training and reskilling programs to minimise the impact of automation.
    • Digital Inclusion and Literacy: Promoting digital literacy and inclusion for all age groups.
  2. Pillar II: Businesses’ Digital Transformation
    • Entrepreneurship and Investment Attraction: Creating digital identity systems and supporting investment in digital businesses.
    • Supporting SMEs: Providing tools and resources to help SMEs adopt digital technologies.
    • Knowledge Transfer: Encouraging collaboration between businesses and research institutions to foster innovation.
  3. Pillar III: Public Services’ Digitization
    • Digital Public Services: Ensuring the digitization of the most used public services to reduce bureaucracy and improve accessibility.
    • Agile and Open Public Administration: Promoting the use of ICT in public administration to enhance efficiency and transparency.
    • Connected Local and Regional Administration: Facilitating the digital transformation of local and regional authorities.

Catalysing Portugal’s Digital Transition

Framework Conditions:

  1. Regulation, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Cyber Defense: Establishing a regulatory environment that promotes data economy while ensuring privacy and security.
  2. Circular Data Economy: Promoting data sharing and re-use.
  3. Connectivity and Infrastructure: Enhancing digital infrastructure.
  4. Disruptive Technologies: Supporting the adoption of advanced technologies like AI and advanced computing.
  5. Alignment with European Digital Strategy: Ensuring coherence with European digital policies.
  6. Communication and Promotion: Promoting Portugal’s digital initiatives on a global scale.

Governance and Follow-up Model

Portugal Digital Mission Structure: This mission structure oversees the implementation and monitoring of the Action Plan, ensuring coordination across various sectors and levels of government.

Monitoring Framework: A comprehensive set of indicators has been established to track the progress and impact of the Action Plan, aligned with international benchmarks and national priorities.