The preparation of the budget and the complex negotiations of a standby agreement with the IMF, with difficult choices about interest rates (then the responsibility of the Government) and the exchange rate, implied demanding decisions that produced positive results: the external deficit was cut in half and the successful adjustment of the Portuguese economy.

Foster competition in goods and services markets by: (i) increasing the transposition rate of Internal Market directives and eliminating remaining barriers (including barriers created through the fiscal system) to cross-border trade and market entry in goods and, especially services markets; (ii) further opening up public procurement; (iii) giving adequate resources to competition and regulatory authorities, (iv) continuing efforts to reduce the overall level of State aid, whilst reorienting aid towards horizontal objectives of common Community interest and targeting it to identified market failures; (v) encouraging market entry and e ...[+++]ffective competition in network industries while pursuing a greater connectivity of national markets within the current EU and with candidate countries ; (vi) eliminating tax obstacles which impede the smooth functioning of the internal market by establishing a consolidated corporate tax base for those companies incorporated under the European Company Statute, or alternatively for companies operating in several Member States; and (vii) guaranteeing the universality, high quality, and reasonable pricing of services of general interest .

Foster competition in goods and services markets by: (i) increasing the transposition rate of Internal Market directives and eliminating remaining barriers (including barriers created through the fiscal system) to cross-border trade and market entry in goods and, especially services markets; (ii) further opening up public procurement; (iii) giving adequate resources to competition and regulatory authorities, (iv) continuing efforts to reduce the overall level of State aid, whilst reorienting aid towards horizontal objectives of common Community interest and targeting it to identified market failures; and (v) encouraging market entry a ...[+++]nd effective competition in network industries while pursuing a greater connectivity of national markets and ensuring access for consumers to services of general economic interest .

Foster competition in goods and services markets by: (i) increasing the transposition rate of Internal Market directives and eliminating remaining barriers (including barriers created through the fiscal system) to cross-border trade and market entry in goods and, especially services markets; (ii) further opening up public procurement; (iii) giving adequate resources to competition and regulatory authorities, (iv) continuing efforts to reduce the overall level of State aid, whilst reorienting aid towards horizontal objectives of common Community interest and targeting it to identified market failures; (deletion) (v) encouraging market ...[+++]entry and effective competition in network industries while pursuing a greater connectivity of national markets, (deletion) within the current EU and with candidate countries; (vi) eliminating tax obstacles which difficult the proper functioning of the Internal Market, by establishing a consolidated corporate tax base for those companies incorporated under the European Company Statute, or alternatively for companies operating in several Member States; and (vii) guaranteeing the universality, high quality, and reasonable pricing of services of general interest.

Foster competition in goods and services markets by: (i) increasing the transposition rate of Internal Market directives and eliminating remaining barriers (including barriers created through the fiscal system) to cross-border trade and market entry in goods and, especially services markets; (ii) further opening up public procurement; (iii) giving adequate resources to competition and regulatory authorities, (iv) continuing efforts to reduce the overall level of State aid, whilst reorienting aid towards horizontal objectives of common Community interest and targeting it to identified market failures; and (v) encouraging market entry a ...[+++]nd effective competition in network industries while pursuing a greater connectivity of national markets and ensuring access for consumers to services of general economic interest.

Insurance companies must constitute technical provisions, the amount of which is calculated according to actuarial assumptions, and the interest rate for which is fixed by the competent authority in the home Member State.