Ana Lourenço appointed to government commission on strengthening the independence of regulatory authorities
A commission established by the Portuguese Government to study ways of strengthening the independence of regulatory authorities was formally created by a decree published in the Official Gazette (Diário da República) on 22 December 2025. Among the members appointed is Ana Lourenço, professor and Associate Dean of Católica Porto Business School for Faculty.
The commission’s mandate is to assess the current institutional framework of regulatory authorities and to propose measures to reinforce their independence, both in terms of the appointment model for members of their boards and their budgetary and financial arrangements, with the aim of ensuring greater autonomy from political power and government cycles.
According to the decree establishing the commission, its objectives also include ensuring greater uniformity and specialisation in the judicial oversight of regulatory authorities, particularly with regard to the administrative offences regime and the role of the Competition, Regulation and Supervision Court. Another key aim is the promotion of mechanisms for public disclosure and informed citizen participation, strengthening the defence of competition and consumer rights.
The commission is chaired by Jorge Vasconcelos, the first president of ERSE and currently executive board member of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Other members include Margarida Matos Rosa, former president of the Portuguese Competition Authority; João Calvão da Silva, vice-rector of the University of Coimbra; and Tiago Duarte, professor at Católica Global School of Law. The commission also includes representatives from the offices of the Minister of the Presidency, the Minister for Economy and Territorial Cohesion, the Minister Adjunct and for State Reform, and the Secretary of State for the Treasury and Finance.
The commission is expected to present a report with concrete proposals by May 2026, contributing to a structured and timely debate on the role of regulatory authorities in the functioning of the economy and the protection of the public interest.
Ana Lourenço’s appointment follows a well-established academic and research trajectory in the field of regulation. In 2022, she coordinated the study “The Regulatory State in Portugal: Evolution and Performance”, developed for the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, with the participation of several academics from Católica Porto Business School, including Ricardo Gonçalves, Vasco Rodrigues, Filipa Mota, Mariana Cunha, Rafael Dias and Sandra Coelho. The study analysed the functioning of regulatory authorities in Portugal and the way in which the State delegates market supervision to these bodies.
Ana Lourenço’s inclusion in this commission reinforces the presence of Católica Porto Business School in public debate on economic policy, regulation and governance, highlighting the School’s contribution to informed reflection on issues that are central to the future of the economy and public institutions.