The STI issued a statement emphasizing that the Tax and Customs Authority is “not a collection system,” nor is it about “issuing certificates” or “submission of declarations.” Instead, it is described as a “fundamental institution for fiscal and social justice, for combating fraud, trafficking, and economic crime.”
“Without the Tax Authority, there is no State,” stated the union led by Gonçalo Rodrigues, adding that the authority is “currently in a critical situation marked by disorganization, devaluation, and lack of investment.”
On the day the new government, led by Luís Montenegro, was sworn in, now with a ministry dedicated to state reform, the STI welcomed the new administration, expressing anticipation for the announced plans to advance with state reform.
Highlighting that the Tax Authority has lost capabilities, lacks qualified personnel and basic equipment, as well as organization and transparency in management processes, the STI reiterated its willingness to collaborate in transforming the authority. They advocated for the opening of “transparent” public competitions with merit and age limit criteria, renewal of human resources with appropriate training, creation of specialized and rotating teams for more sensitive functions, and the enhancement of inspection careers with incentives for proactivity and investigation.
The STI also stressed the need to modernize working conditions, security, and equipment, and to reverse the “trend of diverting inspection functions” to administrative support tasks.
“Reforming the State demands more than ‘slogans’: it requires courage to face entrenched interests, combat opacity, and reorganize with strategic vision,” the statement noted, highlighting the loss of abilities that the Tax Authority has been experiencing.
The STI pointed to a lack of qualified personnel, basic equipment, and “organization and transparency in management processes,” indicating that “in customs and inspection, the reality is unacceptable,” with inspectors “lacking uniforms or updated professional identification cards,” “without security conditions and with increasing responsibilities in border control.”
