As part of the Advisory Summit organised by Jornal Económico in collaboration with VdA, PLMJ, Morais Leitão, and EY Law, Francisco Cabral Matos took part in the podcast ‘5 Minutos’, where he outlined the key themes of the panel discussion ‘The role of fiscal policy in attracting investment’, scheduled for this Wednesday, 2 June.

During the episode, Francisco Cabral Matos emphasised the tax competitiveness of the Portuguese fiscal framework, acknowledging both its strengths and practical challenges: ‘It is certainly an attractive legal and fiscal framework for investors, with several tax product options aimed at attracting investment (...) but it faces obstacles in practical implementation’.

Asked about the factors that most influence investment decisions – the tax rate or political stability – the VdA lawyer stressed the importance of legislative predictability. ‘I would tend to prioritise legislative stability over the tax rate, although the tax rate is also a significant factor,’ he said.

Francisco Cabral Matos also identified the main challenges faced by investors in Portugal. Among them, he pointed out the difficulty in identifying the appropriate interlocutor, the lack of coordination in the dissemination of information, and the inconsistencies between applicable rules and the forecasts made throughout the investment process.

The Advisory Summit is being held at the Catholic University of Lisbon and brings together numerous experts and decision-makers to discuss the role of strategic advice in fostering economic competitiveness, with a particular focus on fiscal policy, investment, and innovation.

• This episode is available here.