State Simplification and Technologies Network holds first meeting

On 15 May 2026, the State Simplification and Technologies Network held its first meeting at Campus XXI in Lisbon. This marked a new stage in the way Portugal’s public administration coordinates decisions on simplification, technology, and digital transformation. 

Established through Decree Law No. 85/2026 on 13 April, the Network's mission is to promote the more integrated governance of the state's technology policies. It brings together public bodies responsible for this area and creates conditions for more aligned, efficient, and results-oriented decision-making. 

This initiative addresses the need to move beyond fragmented technology planning and procurement models, strengthening coordination between public entities and enhancing the state's capacity to act with greater scale, consistency, and effectiveness. 

As Gonçalo Saraiva Matias, the Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister and of State Reform, stated: 

“This network marks a paradigm shift in the way the state makes and implements technology decisions, moving from a fragmented approach to one based on coordination, scale, and efficiency in the service of citizens.” 

A decision-making body for State modernisation 

The State Simplification and Technologies Network is a decision-making body for state modernisation. It is more than just a forum for consultation or information sharing. It is a decision-making structure that focuses on setting priorities, monitoring projects, and coordinating action between public bodies. The Digital Strategy Coordination Committee, chaired by the State’s Chief Technology Officer, Manuel Dias, will assume the role of lead decision-making and coordinating body. 

This new model aims to ensure that technology decisions in public administration are made in a coordinated way, avoiding overlap, reducing costs, and promoting shared solutions wherever possible. 

The Network's main goals include: 

- Accelerating the digital transformation of public administration.  

- Promoting interoperability between public systems and services;  

- Strengthening administrative simplification;  

- Improving the state's negotiating power with technology suppliers;  

- Generating efficiency gains and economies of scale;  

- Aligning technology investments with national strategic priorities.  

According to the government, this coordination could lead to significant savings of around €300 million through greater rationalisation and stronger negotiating capacity in the technology sector. 

 

First meeting focused on artificial intelligence in healthcare 

The Network’s inaugural session focused on the use of artificial intelligence in the National Health Service, chosen as an example of an area where technology can have a direct impact on the quality of public services. 

During the meeting, the Shared Services of the Ministry of Health — SPMS, EPE — presented digital health projects currently under development, including solutions related to triage, waiting-time optimisation, resource management and telehealth. 

The choice of this topic showed the type of issues the Network will monitor going forward: cross-cutting technology projects with a direct impact on citizens, requiring coordination between entities, knowledge-sharing and strategic decision-making at State level. 

 

Monthly meetings on strategic topics 

The Network will operate through monthly meetings, each dedicated to a specific topic on the state modernisation agenda. This model will enable the regular monitoring of priority projects, the identification of bottlenecks, the promotion of joint decision-making, and the coordination of the public bodies involved. 

Topics that may be included on the Network’s agenda include system interoperability, the sovereign cloud, secure data sharing, cyber security, technology procurement, artificial intelligence, and simplifying digital services. 

 

The Network will enable greater coordination, scale and better public services. 

The creation of the State Simplification and Technologies Network represents a structural change in the technological governance of public administration. 

By uniting entities responsible for digital and technological matters, the Network aims to foster a shared vision for state investments, ensuring that the solutions adopted are more interoperable, sustainable, and centred on the needs of citizens and businesses. 

This approach will help to reduce redundancies and avoid the duplication of systems, thereby strengthening security and improving the quality of digital public services.