52As regards the need to safeguard the financial interest of the Portuguese Republic, it must be recalled that, save in so far as they may fall within the ambit of the reasons set out in Article 73d(l) of the Treaty, which relate in particular to tax law, the general financial interests of a Member State cannot constitute adequate justification. It is settled case-law that economic grounds can never serve as justification for obstacles prohibited by the Treaty (see, as regards the free movement of goods, Case C-265/95 Commission v France [1997] ECR I-6959, paragraph 62, and, in relation to freedom to provide services, Case C-398/95 SETTG [1997] ECR I-3091, paragraph 23). That reasoning is equally applicable to the economic policy objectives reflected in Article 3 of Law No 11/90 and the objectives mentioned by the Portuguese Government in the present proceedings, namely choosing a strategic partner, strengthening the competitive structure of the market concerned or modernising and increasing the efficiency of means of production. Such interests cannot constitute a valid justification for restrictions on the fundamental freedom concerned.
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