The Simplex program is transversal to all state services and has already been in existence for 12 years, starting in 2006, with the aim of combating bureaucracy, modernizing public administration and simplifying the day-to-day lives of citizens and businesses. Since then, more than 1,200 measures have been launched aimed at making contact between entities and public services simpler and faster.

Get to know the main changes to the measures of the Simplex + program for companies:

• Paperless invoice
  The issuance of paper invoices will be waived, being replaced by electronic invoices, thus generating an effective savings in paper and consumables.
   
•  Invoices with QR Code
  It will be required to include in the invoices a printed QR Code, which will allow invoices issued without a taxpayer number in the billing system used by the taxpayer, can be subsequently communicated to the e-invoice directly by the same.
   
• VAT Automatic +
  The periodic VAT declaration will be simplified for micro-entities and this document will be pre-filled by TA. It is scheduled for implementation in 2018, more specifically for the third quarter of this year.
   
• New export support features
  The "Business Matching" platform has been gaining prominence in this area, since it will be possible to consult and share products online for export and a new dynamics and experience between companies. It is expected that this feature will be available from the last quarter of 2019.
  For export support a new tool is also foreseen that assists in identifying the right international markets for investment. Accessible in the Export Portal (measures of Simplex 2017), this tool allows each company to determine the main export markets based on its characteristics and products to be marketed.
  
  In the third quarter of next year, the Portuguese Government will also provide a subportal dedicated to Digital Internationalization. Here, companies will gain access to personalized information and advice to enter into international e-marketplaces such as Amazon and Alibaba.
   
• Full Social Security
  The online channel for access to Social Security services brings new priorities foreseen by the Portuguese Government for the third quarter of 2018, with the issue at the moment of the access password, whose current situation is the sent of the password by mail, after registration in the channel.
  The goal is that you can, at the end of the year, manage online admissions, withdrawals, changes in contract modality, suspensions and terminations of workers.
  
  By 2019, it will be possible to access and manage your online bank account in Social Security Direct, with regard to payments to be made by the Social Security to the citizen / economic agent and validations of account ownership.
  Another new feature that comes to us is the management of the benefit plans in this online channel, in order to make it possible to make online orders for debt repayment plans and check the status of these requests.
  
  In case of having to pay a debt to the Social Security, whose deadline has been exceeded, will be able to solve by online means, next year, with the application Pay by the hour, by the issue at the time of the document of payment and regularization of the situation.
  The measures for this section are available in the Social Security Consigo strategy, with a 3-year implementation.

• Program 2020 support programs
  To simplify the application process and access to Community support programs for enterprises, Simplex 2018 provides:
  
  1. A digital signature in the formal acts of COMPETE 2020 - Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (end of 2018);
  
  2. A new support function that allows identifying the most appropriate financing for the project and creating alerts for future tenders (end of 2018);
  
  3. Eliminate duplication of applications by simplifying the information requested for applicants and beneficiaries of Portugal 2020 (early 2019).
   
• Single supervision
  The One-Stop Inspection measure helps watchdog organizations communicate and carry out a single supervisory action per company, thus avoiding duplication of efforts in this area.
   
• Attendance and marking in State services
  Online marking of public services will be centralized, along with a chatbot (under development by the Ministry of Economy) that will be available with automatic answers to frequently asked questions from companies and consumers. These measures will be implemented by mid 2019.
  
  These are some of the changes you can expect in the Simplex + 2018 Program that announce a new way for business to interact with the state.
  
  For an analysis of the complete list you can consult the official website of the program. From May 2019 onwards, it will be announced whether the calendar of the 2018 program has been met and the official balance sheet, as well as the launch of new measures for 2019-2020.