IAPMEI transfers up to 28 million euros to AICEP for external promotion

The Council of Ministers has authorized IAPMEI — Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation, I. P., to transfer up to €28,138,274.00 to AICEP — Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade of Portugal, E. P. E., funds intended to finance actions for the promotion of Portugal abroad and to support the agency’s operating expenses. The authorization is contained in Council of Ministers Resolution no. 189/2026, published in the Diário da República, 1st series, no. 190, of September 30, 2026. The decree was approved on September 24, 2026, and takes effect from the date of its approval.

The measure falls within the complementarity of activities between the two entities in supporting companies and investment. According to the preamble, IAPMEI, I. P. has the mission of promoting competitiveness and business growth, aiming to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship, and business investment, while AICEP, E. P. E. ensures the development and execution of structural policies to support the internationalization of the Portuguese economy. To ensure the alignment of strategies, it was agreed that IAPMEI, I. P. would support the payment of a fund to AICEP, E. P. E., under the terms of the legislation applicable to expenditure by public entities.

Destination of the funds

Paragraph 1 of the resolution authorizes the transfer for the development of actions to promote Portugal abroad that are aligned with the strategy of IAPMEI, I. P., under the terms to be contracted between the two entities. The preamble specifies that the funds are intended to finance external promotion activities carried out by AICEP, E. P. E. and to support the respective operating expenses.

Budgetary framework

The financial charges resulting from the resolution are met by appropriate funds registered under funding source 311 — tax revenues not allocated to co-financed projects of the IAPMEI, I. P. budget. AICEP, E. P. E. is authorized to register the transferred amount as revenue in its budget.

Legal basis and invoked urgency

The resolution is adopted under point e) of paragraph 1 of article 17 of Decree-Law no. 197/99, of June 8, and point g) of article 199 of the Constitution. The Government justifies the decision based on the urgent and unavoidable nature of the expenditure, as the transfer is essential for the pursuit of AICEP, E. P. E.’s activities and for the full implementation of its activity plan. The executive emphasizes the particularly significant impact on personnel expenses, which requires greater speed and readiness to ensure the regular operation and budgetary stability of the agency.

The key figures of the decree are as follows:

• €28,138,274.00 — maximum amount authorized for transfer from IAPMEI, I. P. to AICEP, E. P. E.
• September 24, 2026 — date of approval of the resolution and the start of its effects
• September 30, 2026 — date of publication in the Diário da República
• Funding source 311 — tax revenues not allocated to co-funded projects from the IAPMEI, I. P. budget

The transfer reinforces the funding for external promotion and the internationalization of the Portuguese economy within a framework of coordination between two public agencies, while ensuring the budgetary stability of AICEP, E. P. E. during its activity plan. For exporting companies and operators who depend on internationalization support services, the decision guarantees the continuity of Portugal’s promotion actions abroad.

Source: Diário da República, 1st series, no. 190, of September 30, 2026, section I (official reference: Council of Ministers Resolution no. 189/2026).