Portugal and Spain have announced a joint bid to develop an AI gigafactory, with an investment of €8 billion, aiming to enhance their technological capabilities and position in the global innovation market. The project will establish infrastructure in both countries, with Sines in Portugal as a key location, and is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Southern Europe's role in AI development. This initiative reflects a significant political and economic collaboration between the two nations, focusing on equitable resource distribution and fostering a competitive edge in the digital economy.

The Government has altered the governance model for European funds, removing the statutory right to appeal decisions by fund managing authorities. The change, approved by the Council of Ministers on 9 January but not yet published in the Diário da República, is presented as a simplification intended to make fund administration clearer and more effective. While the amendment may speed up decision-making and reduce administrative burdens, it eliminates a direct procedural remedy for beneficiaries and stakeholders — including SMEs, NGOs and expat nationals — and raises questions about accountability, transparency and conformity with national and EU administrative-law protections. Key issues to monitor are the final text published in the Official Gazette, any alternative oversight or review mechanisms that are put in place (internal review, ombudsman, monitoring committees or judicial review), and the potential for legal or political challenges that could arise if ordinary remedies are perceived as insufficient.