PRIME MINISTER José Sócrates has appointed a new Co-ordinator of Administrative Modernisation, Maria Manuel Leitão Marques. He also used the appointment to announce the creation of a new business constitution from June onwards. A promise to introduce a constitution of companies “on the spot” was one of Sócrates’ main election themes, designed to cut red tape. The Prime Minister also released details about other administrative changes. Firstly, a reduction in the
number of legal measures needed to set up a new business will help entrepreneurs.
Another key move is the implementation of a single car document, from October onwards, to replace the Livrete (green booklet) and Registo de Propriedade (blue ownership booklet), two documents that drivers have to carry at all times.
The third item is the creation of a Common Citizenship Card next year, a plan followed with intense interest in Brussels. The new card will combine all the information now divided between the Bilhete de Identidade (identification card), the Cartão de Contribuinte (fiscal number card), the Cartão de Utente de Saúde (national health patient card) and the Cartão de Eleitor (voter’s card).
