The Portuguese state should surrender its "golden shares" in Portugal Telecom, according to an opinion from the EU Court of Justice's legal adviser. Portugal holds 500 golden shares in the operator, giving it the right to veto important company decisions such as management appointments and investments from rival operators. The European Commission brought the case against the Portuguese government, saying the special shares distort competition. The court is under no obligation to follow the advocate general's opinion, but often takes it into account when making a final ruling.
