Challenges to the sustainable development of the Portuguese economy

Currently, sustainable development of a country refers to targeted economic growth that does not harm the environment (or, better yet, is integrated into natural cycles or a circular economy) and also contributes to solving social problems. Thus, a balance is maintained between the territory’s economic, environmental, and social development, which has accelerated and continues to form its own set of tools for promoting sustainable development, most often integrated into global directions.

The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the main problems of sustainable development of the economy of Portugal as one of the EU countries, including those related to natural factors, labor resources, sociocultural characteristics, the development of modern technologies, infrastructure, economics, political and legislative features. The study used comparative descriptive and analytical methods, as well as an analysis of modern statistics, literature, and Internet resources. The paper identifies, classifies, and analyzes the most critical barriers and challenges for the country’s economy in the present and the future, as well as the possible consequences of these challenges.