A preliminary protocol for Banco Português de Fomento’s new Financial Instrument for Innovation and Competitiveness (IFIC) foresees a €1 billion credit line covering projects in reindustrialisation, defence and artificial intelligence. Companies using bank loans to finance the portion of IFIC‑supported projects will benefit from a two‑year grace period, easing early repayment pressures and potentially encouraging private co‑finance. The measure signals a targeted industrial‑policy push to mobilise investment and employment in strategic sectors while leveraging public support to unlock additional bank lending.