Brussels blocks Chinese supplier for Lisbon Metro expansion
The European Commission has intervened in the Lisbon Metro expansion project, forcing the consortium led by Mota-Engil to replace a Chinese subcontractor with a Polish supplier. The decision follows an investigation which determined that the Chinese firm, CRRC, benefited from unfair foreign subsidies. This ruling affects the construction of the new Violet Line, which is designed to connect Lisbon to the municipalities of Odivelas and Loures.
The European Commission is the EU’s executive body based in Brussels that proposes legislation, enforces EU rules and manages day‑to‑day EU policies; it is led by a President, currently Ursula von der Leyen. Commission proposals on harmonising business rules or introducing preferences can directly affect trade, regulation and competitiveness for companies and residents across all member states, including Portugal.
