With issue 8 of the Court of Auditors Magazine in digital format, we close the third year of the Magazine in this format. The same team has ensured the regularity and timeliness of editing this publication.

In this first issue published under my mandate, I am pleased to note the Magazine's relevance as a space for all those who, in the field of financial jurisdiction and related areas, want to see their theses and ideas published and promote a fruitful debate.

Therefore, I appeal to the community of practitioners of the financial jurisdiction not to hesitate to submit articles with a view to their publication in the Court of Auditors Magazine.

Two studies with very relevant and challenging themes have been published in this issue, which is about the dissemination of scientific and technical articles.

The first article analyses the duty of sound public financial management, both in the light of European and national Law and the role of the European Court of Auditors and the Portuguese Court of Auditors in monitoring compliance with this duty.

In the second article, on the "Digital Euro and financial stability," the concerns related to preparedness for the issuance of a digital euro, the limitations to its use as a store of value, and the challenges that its issuance and circulation pose to financial stability are highlighted. The article concludes with the role that should be given to the European Central Bank as the institution responsible for monetary policy and price stability.

To broaden the scope of the Court of Auditors Magazine and provide it with an outreach that goes beyond the circle of Portuguese-language readers, certain contents, starting with the summaries/summaries of studies, will now appear in English; at the same time, the adaptation of the Magazine's own website to this new outlook will be ensured.

Maintaining, in another dedicated area, the usual editorial practice, the most relevant activity carried out by the Court is disclosed, either through the General Plenary or through its various Sections of the Headquarters and the Regional Sections of the Azores and Madeira, covering various acts (opinions/reports/decisions/judgments), approved or disclosed in this 2nd half of 2024.

The acts of the Court selected are varied, including the Opinions of the General State Accounts and on the Accounts of the Autonomous Regions, as well as in the domains of a priori control, successive control, and financial responsibility. In this particular area, the Court launches a challenge to the attentive reader to research the acts that may justify more appealing reading and analysis within the areas of their special interest.

I want to highlight the report adopted by the Court of Auditors on the ‘Management of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis’, in particular the recommendations made by the Court on how to respond to new serious incidents or disasters, in a fundamental anticipatory work by governments and public organizations and structures, which can enable the action of the different responsible entities involved in similar future crisis.

Two judgments, one from the Court of Justice of the European Union on Directive 2011/7/EU relating to the obligation of Member States to ensure compliance by public authorities with payment deadlines in commercial transactions and the other from the Supreme Administrative Court on public procurement and the regime of abnormally low bids are published. Two reports from the European Court of Auditors have also been released concerning the achievement of objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds.

News on issues of greater relevance at national and international levels, is also disseminated in the Courts of Auditors and similar institutions, highlighting here the nomination of the Court of Auditors of Portugal as Vice-President of JURISAI.

Finally, in the usual section of the Historical Archives, we notice the transfer of the Historical Archive of the Court of Auditors to Torre do Tombo, for better preservation of the entire documentary collection of this archive, which is a fundamental source for knowledge of the history of public finances of Portugal and the Portuguese-speaking Countries.