Portuguese company to produce ballistic protection
The first tranche of Defence loans from the European Commission is expected to arrive in Portugal in March. The European Council still needs to give the green light, but overall the country could access €5.8 billion.
AIP welcomes EU-Mercosur deal: 'It's an opportunity for growth for Portuguese companies'
The Portuguese Industrial Association says the agreement signed this Saturday strengthens the European Union's external standing and could open a new cycle of growth and competitiveness for the national industry.
Ministerial order speeds up training of prison officers
Government seeks shorter timeframes between the opening of recruitment competitions and the start of training.
Saudis seek to boost investment in Portugal
Saudi businesspeople will visit the Lisbon and Porto regions next week for meetings with government officials, local authorities, associations and companies.
Brussels approves SAFE programme for Portugal amid uncertainties for national defence industries
Brussels has approved the SAFE programme for Portugal, but the decision raises uncertainties about the potential impacts and future prospects for the country's national defence industries.
Moedas, Menezes and Isaltino: Saudi delegation meets business leaders and local officials
The Saudi Arabia–Portugal Business Council will meet throughout the week, from 19 to 25 January, with Portuguese business associations and municipal officials, splitting the agenda between Porto and Lisbon to identify business opportunities. The delegation will also visit Portuguese market-leading companies such as Mota-Engil, Tecnimede and the Grupo ...
Catarina Martins wants a skilled, higher-value economy for the country
On the final day of the campaign, Catarina Martins visited the EMEF workshops in Guifões, saying she believes the role of the Head of State also includes having “a plan for the country's economy”.
Development Bank says Portugal will bolster its bid for AI gigafactory
The president of the Development Bank said on Friday that Portugal's bid for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) gigafactory in Sines will be strengthened, including the planned investment, as he believes this will increase the chances of winning the competition promoted by the European Commission. At a lunch-debate with managers organised by consultancy Ernest & Young in Lisbon, Gonçalo Regalado said ...
Azores Parliament speeds up support for the arrival of new immigrants in the region
The move aims to tackle the shortage of labour in the archipelago.
TAP invests €20 million in new maintenance hub in Porto
TAP is investing €20 million to build a new aircraft maintenance hub and hangar in Porto, a project due to take two years and expected to create about 200 jobs. The move is intended to increase the carrier’s maintenance self-sufficiency, reduce outsourcing and boost operational autonomy as the airline undergoes privatisation, while Porto’s network will be strengthened with services to Terceira, Praia, Tel Aviv and an enhanced link to Boston.
SAFE. Without industry involvement, Portugal risks 'not creating the Autoeuropa of Defence'
If the national industry is not involved, Portugal runs the 'risk of not creating the Autoeuropa of Defence at a time when we are investing €5.8 billion' with the European SAFE loan programme, warned the president of the AED Cluster during a parliamentary hearing on the eve of the EU approving the programme on Wednesday...
2026: Defence challenges and the role of the Portuguese industry
2026 will be a decisive year for the Defence sector. Geopolitical instability, the accelerated technological transition and the growing integration between economy and security mean that Defence is no longer just a strategic issue: it is increasingly a pillar of industrial sovereignty and national competitiveness. The main European allies ...
Industry's role in Defence investment
The Portuguese government that took office in 2024 made National Defence a political priority. This priority meant that Portugal recovered, after decades of sidelining security, what history teaches us about the return on investment in this area: in sovereignty and national independence; in a future with peace; and in the prosperity of the community...
CNN Innovation - IAPMEI - Start-up Voucher
CNN Innovation coverage of IAPMEI's Start-up Voucher programme.
Compete will launch calls equivalent to one-third of its allocation
Compete will open five funding calls in January for large companies, accounting for roughly one third of the programme’s corporate allocation under Portugal 2030, the agency’s president told ECO dos Fundos. The calls come with strengthened support rates aimed at accelerating project implementation and unlocking private investment. For large firms, the tranche presents a concentrated opportunity to secure EU-backed grants that could expedite capital expenditure, support job-creating projects and align corporate investment with Portugal 2030 priorities. The measure also signals an administrative push to deploy funds faster, with potential sectoral and regional impacts depending on application uptake and award conditions.
The future of the North rests on regional leadership
The Northern Region is at a decisive moment in its development. The scale of the economic, social and territorial challenges can no longer be resolved solely through good administrative management or high absorption rates of European funds. It requires regional leadership with strategic vision, the capacity for institutional coordination and a deep knowledge of the territory. The Coordination Commission and ...
Government wants to launch a recruitment competition for prison officers 'as soon as possible'
Rita Alarcão Júdice said she hopes this new competition might yield more favourable results than the last one.
European funds: implement, implement, implement
This article is part of the 17th edition of ECO magazine. Buy it here. The watchword for European funds in 2026 is to implement, not least because it is the final year of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). Anything not completed by 31 August will lose the opportunity. At the Portugal 2030 level as well, it is ...
The future is already being built and passes through Portugal!
Home Portugal The future is already being built and passes through Portugal! The future is already being built and passes through Portugal! There are moments in the economic history of a country when everything begins to line up.
Government authorises Ministry of Labour to spend up to €18 million on technological solutions
The Government on Friday approved a resolution that authorises the Ministry of Labour to incur expenditure of up to €18 million in the 2026–2028 three-year period for 'modern and technologically competitive solutions for workplaces'. A resolution was approved at the Council of Ministers 'authorising expenditure to equip the Ministry of Labour, ...'
National innovation soars in defence with drones, satellites and aircraft
The article analyses a surge in national defence innovation driven by a €5.8 billion SAFE loan—the largest single investment in the Armed Forces—positioning defence as a strategic area for both European and national investors. Key growth areas include drones, satellites and aircraft, with emphasis on R&D, dual‑use technologies and strengthened aerospace supply chains that can create jobs and boost exports. The piece examines how procurement reform, public‑private partnerships and targeted skills development are needed to translate investment into sustained industrial capacity and economic impact. It concludes that coherent policy and sustained funding will be essential to maximise technological and economic returns.
New Year — Luís Montenegro again calls for labour reform
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro uses his customary 1 January Jornal de Notícias article to renew a call for labour reform, urging a ‘winning mentality’ and changes to employment law and regulation. Framed as necessary for competitiveness and job creation, the piece signals his policy priorities and aims to steer public and political debate toward deregulation and legal adjustments. It functions both as a policy pitch and as political positioning ahead of upcoming labour‑market discussions.
1st-cycle pupils to have Physical Education from next school year
The government will introduce compulsory Physical Education for 1st‑cycle pupils in public schools from the next school year, affecting around 330,000 children. The Budget Law commits to hiring the teachers needed to deliver the measure but does not specify how much will be invested or the number of weekly hours to be allocated. The lack of detail raises implementation questions — recruitment timelines, teacher training, regional distribution, and fiscal impact — and creates uncertainty about curriculum time and equity of provision across schools.
4h. Montenegro: labour reform guarantees 'decent wages'
The Prime Minister has defended a government labour reform aimed at guaranteeing ‘decent wages’ by promoting better jobs and stronger pay protections, framing the measure as central to improving employment quality. Separately, António José Seguro urged an urgent restoration of social cohesion in Portugal, stressing that community rebuilding is necessary alongside policy reforms to address economic and social challenges.
