The new president of the Court of Auditors (TdC), Filipa Urbano Calvão, pledged today to carry out her four-year mandate with a spirit of independence and service. She also emphasized the importance of collaboration with other state bodies.
Inauguration Speech at Belém Palace
Filipa Urbano Calvão during her inauguration ceremony at the Belém Palace in Lisbon said:
I hope to live up to the trust placed in me and will fulfill my duties with a spirit of independence, service, and genuine cooperation with everyone at the Court of Auditors.
After being sworn in by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, he noted the increased demands placed on the Court of Auditors due to the implementation of the PRR and PT2030. He also emphasized that as the court’s responsibilities expand, so does the need for more resources and availability.
A Historic Appointment
Filipa Urbano Calvão, 53, takes over from José Tavares as the first woman to lead the Court of Auditors (TdC). She previously headed the National Data Protection Commission (CNPD) from 2012 to 2023.
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In her brief speech at the ceremony, the lawyer reflected on her career and expressed admiration for the legacy she inherits at the TdC, calling it an immense honor and acknowledging the importance of the mission carried out by the institution.
She stressed:
I was very proud to serve the Portuguese State for 11 years at the CNPD and today I enter a house with a centuries-old tradition, of great national and international prestige, whose constitutional mission is also the independent defense of the interests of citizens and the State, now from the perspective of financial control and promotion of a culture of financial responsibility.
Commitment to Open Dialogue and Cooperation
After praising her predecessor, José Tavares, for his unsurpassable dedication to the Court of Auditors (TdC), noting that the institution will always be his home, and recognizing the former president, Alfredo José de Sousa, whose mandate she deemed an example, Filipa Urbano Calvão emphasized the importance of open dialogue.
She stated that the effective execution of the TdC’s mission relies on maintaining constructive communication not only with other State bodies but also with society, particularly academia. She added:
I am committed to continuing to perform the TdC’s duties well and to seeking to improve where there is room for evolution, in order to respond to the challenges currently facing financial jurisdiction and public auditing, for the benefit of the country and our citizens.
The Unique Role of the Court of Auditors
Earlier, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa emphasized the constitutional significance and unique legislative framework of the Court of Auditors within the Portuguese legal system, which involves judges responsible for assessing both legal compliance and political and administrative merit.
After commending Filipa Urbano Calvão’s professional background and acknowledging her established career, the President of the Republic emphasized that the newly appointed president of the Court of Auditors understands how this distinctiveness sets the court apart from all other higher courts.
He declared that:
It is aware of the consecutive expansion of its powers and the resulting need for ever more resources and availability, it is aware of the scale of the most immediate tasks both in terms of global and systematic control of financial responsibility – and its possible connection to corruption – as well as the increased demands raised by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and Portugal 2030 (PT2030), a challenge of utmost importance for all of us.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa emphasized that Filipa Urbano Calvão has a career built on intellectual qualities, scientific and pedagogical skills, and a series of coherent, consistent, and remarkable steps, including her academic contributions in public legal domains and her extensive, widely respected experience at the National Data Protection Commission.
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He added that her career legitimizes the role she is now assuming, following the Government’s proposal and the President of the Republic’s appointment. Marcelo stressed that:
I wish them the greatest success in their new roles, that is, that they may live up to or even exceed the expectations now formulated and be on a par with the work of their illustrious predecessors, all of whom deserve praise in the name of Portugal.
Academic and Professional Background
Filipa Urbano Calvão graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law at the Catholic University of Portugal, Porto School, where she is also an Associate Professor. Since 2023, she has worked with the law firm Sérvulo & Associados in the Public Law department.
She holds both a master’s degree and a doctorate in Law from the University of Coimbra. In addition to her role as the new president of the Court of Auditors (TdC), she is a researcher at the Research Centre for the Future of Law at Católica.
Calvão has also held various positions in academia and has had a long-standing career associated with some of the country’s most prominent law schools.
