This Thursday, Portugal launches the first virtual Citizen’s Store with 150 public services for individuals and companies – which will have video call service available by appointment.
“Portugal takes a decisive step in the digital transformation of public services with the launch of , integrated into the gov.pt portal. This new solution adds 150 essential public services and support via video callproviding an innovative experience of contact with the State, closer to citizens and companies”, reads the note from the Agency for Technological Reform of the State (ARTE).
Among the 150 services already available, 23 are aimed at citizens and 127 at companies and businesses, including, for example, changing the address on the Citizen Card, renewing the Driving License, creating an online company, changing the name, headquarters or corporate purpose of a company and requesting registration as a beneficial owner, the document states.
According to the statement, these services are part of an initial set selected based on their relevance and frequency of use, to ensure that most common needs of citizens and companies are the first to be available on the new digital channel.
The new Virtual Citizen Store “starts with an integrated service of 22 public entities in a single location”, where citizens, whether individual or business, can resolve “their issues at any time and anywhere”, he says.
Among the new features of the new store, ARTE highlights support via video calls, as it allows “human service in a digital environment, replicating the personalized experience of physical Citizen Stores”.
However, access to this service “is made by appointment, ensuring availability and adequate support for each citizen or company”, he emphasizes.
The Deputy Minister and State Reform, Gonçalo Matiascited in the note, reinforces that this “is a new paradigm of public servicewith a State that is more agile and at the service of the citizen.”
The State CTO and president of the State Technological Reform Agency (ARTE), Manuel Diashighlights that “it is necessary to ensure that all essential public services are accessible digitally, anytime and anywhere”. And it adds that the Virtual Citizen Store “allows citizens and companies to save time and reduce bureaucracy”.
The statement highlights that the Virtual Citizen Store, integrated into the gov.pt portal, “represents an important step in aligning with the 2030 objective”, which aims to make all public services available on the digital channel, “promoting a more accessible, integrated State close to everyone”.
