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Business
Business Profile
Not so long ago, Portugal was lambasted as the ‘Poor Man of Europe’. However, over the last few decades, Portugal and Lisbon have successfully turned things around. Portugal now boasts one of Western Europe’s fastest climbing economies, with an annual growth rate of over 3% during the last few years. Lisbon is also one of the fastest growing European cities, in economic terms, with and employment rate of 68.3%. Portugal also has one of the lowest unemployment figures in Europe, stated at 4.2% in the first quarter of 2001, less than the EU average. Lisbon’s unemployment is lower than the national average, standing at 3.9%.
In 1999, Portugal joined the EMU and tight fiscal policies have ensured that it has continued to meet the EMU criteria. In December 1997, Portugal’s stock market was added to the Morgan Stanley ‘Developed indexes. The introduction of the Euro in 2002 has finally sealed Portugal’s place in the developed Western European economy. Being part of the EMU has strengthened Portugal’s trading bonds with the other European countries – almost half the country’s trade is with Spain, Germany and France. Membership of the EU has also brought with it a massive investment in infrastructure, which has boosted the domestic construction industry and also made it easier to transport goods and generally do business. The successful staging of Expo 98 was a sign that Lisbon is now a progressive European city and silenced many of the critics who had predicted that it would be a disaster.
The main industries in Lisbon are tourism, followed by finance, insurance, consulting and telecommunications. The Baixa district is the location of many of the banks and major financial services. Many multinationals, including KPMG, Arthur Anderson and Barclays Bank, have a presence in the city and their base of operations for the entire country is usually located here.
The city has its own convention centre – The Lisbon Convention Centre (tel: (21) 361 0350, fax (21) 361 0359). The Portuguese Investment, Trade and Tourism Institute, Avenida 5 de Outubro 101 (tel: (21) 790 9500), offers English language assistance on doing business in Lisbon. The British Council Translation Unit, Rua de Sao Marcal 174 (tel: (21) 347 6141; fax: (21) 347 6152), provides translation services. There are a number of Internet cafes located all over the city, with Ponto Net, Rua do Arsenal, Praca do Comercio, conveniently located in the centre of town.
Business Etiquette
Doing business is Lisbon is far less bureaucratic than it used to be but can still require a lot of patience, even though a reasonably good level of English is spoken in business circles. Appointments may stretch on for longer than anticipated, with long lunches common. Even the most rudimentary of business transactions and dealings seem to take longer in Lisbon than in most European capitals. Shaking hands is customary when meeting and taking leave and business cards are exchanged after introduction. When addressing someone, it is customary to use their title – especially if they have a profession (eg Engenheiro) or university degree – followed by their full name. Regardless of their degree, university graduates are usually referred to as ‘Doctor(a)’. Mr, Ms and Mrs translate to Sr, Sra and D (for ‘Dona’). Co-workers often refer to each other as ‘colleague’.
Business suits are standard office attire for both men and women. It is advisable to enquire whether the same attire should be worn for social functions. It is considered very rude to write anything official in red ink. Normal business hours are Monday to Friday 0900-1300 and 1500-1800.
Business socialising generally focuses on eating and drinking in bars and restaurants, with this seldom extending to people’s homes. Alcohol will usually be drunk with all meals, although local business people hardly ever overindulge during business meetings.
Business Services
Business Contacts: Câmara de Comércio e Indústria Portuguesa
(Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 89, 1194 Lisbon
Tel: (21) 322 4050. Fax: (21) 322 4051.
E-mail: info@port-chambers.com
Website: www.port-chambers.com
Portuguese-UK Chamber of Commerce (UK)
4th Floor, 22-25a Sackville Street, London W1X 1DE
Tel: (020) 7494 1844. Fax: (020) 7494 1822.
E-mail: info@portuguese-chamber.org.uk
Website: www.portuguese-chamber.org.uk
Portugal-US Chamber of Commerce (USA)
3rd Floor, 590 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Tel: (212) 354 4627. Fax: (212) 575 4737.
E-mail: anaosori@ix.netcom.com
Website: www.portugal-us.com
Portuguese Trade and Tourism Commission (Canada)
Suite 1005, 60 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3B8
Tel: (416) 921 4925. Fax: (416) 921 1353.
E-mail: iceptor@idirect.com
Website: www.icep.pt
There is no Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in Australia; the Commercial department of the Portugese Embassy can provide information instead:
Embassy of the Portuguese Republic (Australia)
Street address: 23 Culgoa Circuit, O’Malley, ACT 2606
Postal address: PO Box 9092, ACT 2600 Deakin, Canberra
Tel: (02) 6290 1733. Fax: (02) 6290 1957.
E-mail: sab@mail2me.com.au
Business centre
Centro Escritórios das Laranjeiras
Praça Nuno Rodrigues Santos 7, 1600-171 Lisbon
Tel: (021) 726 9011. Fax: (021) 726 9985.
Office space and conference rooms for hire, with extensive facilities and equipment.
Convention and meeting planners
Certame
Travessa do Forte de São Pedro 1, 2780 Paço de Arcos
Tel: (21) 440 6200. Fax: (21) 440 6209.
E-mail: certame@certame.pt
Website: www.certame.pt
Eurocongressos
Rua Francisco de Andrade 4, 1700-198 Lisbon
Tel: (21) 847 2577. Fax: (21) 847 3746.
E-mail: eurocongressos@mail.telepac.pt
Website: www.eurocongressos.pt
Convention and meeting venues
Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL)
(International Fair of Lisbon)
Parque das Nações, Rua do Bojador, 1998-010 Lisbon
Tel: (21) 892 1300. Fax: (21) 892 1555.
E-mail: fil@aip.pt
Website: www.aip.pt
The city’s newest venue has three auditoria (capacity 500 people) and four meeting rooms, in addition to the four exhibition halls (10,200 sq metres / 110,000 sq ft each) at the Expo ’98 site.
Atlântico – Pavilhão Multiusos de Lisboa
(Atlantic Multipurpose Pavilion)
Rossio dos Olivais, Lote 2.13.01A, 1990-231 Lisbon
Tel: (21) 891 8409. Fax: (01) 891 8413.
Website: www.atlantico-multiusos.pt
Auditorium, meeting rooms and exhibition spaces adjacent to the FIL.
Centro de Congressos de Lisboa
(Lisbon Congress Centre)
Praça das Indústrias, 1300-307 Lisbon
Tel: (21) 360 1400. Fax: (21) 363 9450.
E-mail: lisboacc@aip.pt
Website: www.aip.pt/congressos
Located at Parque Junqueira, the centre offers six auditoria (maximum capacity 1500 people), meeting rooms and five halls, the largest of which is 3500 sq metres (37,600 sq ft).
Office equipment hire
Alfasom Audiovisuais
Rua Tomas Figueredo 14B, 1500 Lisbon
Tel: (021) 764 7007. Fax: (021) 760 3290.
E-mail: alfasom@mail.telepac.pt
Website: www.alfasom.com
Hires audiovisual equipment for meetings and conferences of any size.
Secretarial service
Intess
1st Floor (Left), Rua S. Julião 62, 1100-526 Lisbon
Tel: (021) 888 2506. Fax: (021) 887 1820.
E-mail: intess@ip.pt
Provides temporary staff for all office work.
Translation service
Traducta
1st Floor (Right), Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca 127, 1070-240 Lisbon
Tel: (21) 388 3384. Fax: (21) 385 7886.
E-mail: traducta@mail.telepac.pt
Website: www.traducta.pt
Also organises conferences and events.
Unusual conference venues
There are a dozen historic palaces in Lisbon and the surrounding area that are available for hire. For further information, contact:
Associação Turismo de Lisboa
Street address: Rua do Arsenal 15, 1100-038 Lisbon
Postal address: Apartado 3326, 1301 Lisbon
Tel: (21) 031 2700 or 361 0350. Fax: (21) 031 2899.
E-mail: atl@atl-turismolisboa.pt
Website: www.atl-turismolisboa.pt
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General
