NRP Portugal

continuingthereductionofadministrativeburdensforcompaniesandthecreationofamorebusinessfriendlyenvironment.The results achieved and the need to increase the internationalisation of thePortugueseeconomyaswellastoattractinvestmenthaveledtotheintensificationof the effort to create good conditions for companies, especially the SMEs, andprovide them with an increasingly favourable environment both for exporting andfromtheperspectiveofexpansionormakingnewinvestments.Therefore,theimprovedaccesstofinancingcontinuestobeapriority,throughtheimplementation of the INOFIN Programme – Facilitating access to financing forentrepreneursandSME–whichincorporatestheFINICIA,FINCRESCEandFINTRANSprogrammes, as well as through other instruments in the scope of the NSRF, ofwhich the newly formed Support Fund for Financing Innovation is an example(FINOVA ‐ Decree‐Law nr 175/2008, dated 26 August). FINOVA works as anautonomous fund and strengthens the financing instruments for companies,particularlytheSMEandprojectswithahigherlevelofinnovation.TheSupportSystemfortheFinancingandRiskSharingofInnovation(SAFPRI)isstillbeing prepared; it will create or strengthen the financing instruments as does theSupportSystemforCollectiveActions(SIAC)thatcomplementstheincentivesystemsdirectly oriented towards companies and aims to boost their results with thecreationorimprovementofthesurroundingconditions.Thepromotionofentrepreneurship,accordingtotheinterventionapproachwhichhas been followed (specified in the Micro vector in Part 3 of this Report) willcontinuetobeapriority.The work to promote qualified entrepreneurship will continue to involve aninterventionlinethatisbasedontheintroductionoffinancing,notablythroughtheFINICIAProgramme,asthelevertonewcompanystart‐ups,withnewmorequalifiedentrepreneurs,generatinganewstandardofspecialisationthatisincreasinglybasedon technology intensive services and products, creativity and knowledge that canrespond to the growing demands of the international markets. One new line ofinterventioninvolvesstimulatingculturalentrepreneurship. 3 The recognition of the contribution of women to a more far reaching concept ofcompetitiveness and innovation in the business fabric has also led to betting inqualifiedfemaleentrepreneurshipbymeansofaidconcededintheambitofNSRF,through the Competitiveness Agenda (Competitiveness Factor OperationalProgramme).AsfortheTourismsector,Portugalhasexcellentresourcesandtouristpotentialandmuch work has been done to develop this so that it has a growing weight in thePortugueseeconomy.In2007,touristconsumptionrepresentedover10.4%ofGDP,3 For more information, see point 3.3 of this section of the report.24