Law 23/2012, which was published on 25 June, introduces the third amendment to the Employment Code. The new legislative text results, to a great extent, from the commitments made by the Portuguese State in the Memorandum of Understanding of 17 May 2012, and its aim is to improve employment legislation by updating, organising and speeding up processes. This means, on the one hand, that it will be able to safeguard the interests of the worker and, on the other hand, encourage internal flexibility in companies. It will do so by providing them with the tools they need to respond to crisis situations.