“It is necessary to accelerate the implementation of Algarve 2030 by mobilising beneficiaries, mainly local authorities, to submit applications,” the president of the Algarve CCDR, José Apolinário, told Lusa.

The official explained that the municipalities have been more focused on implementing the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), where they have a 100% participation rate of funds from Brussels, higher than in the implementation of Algarve 2030, where it is 60%.

“Of the 780 million euros of Algarve 2030 to be executed by 2029, we have to execute 92 million by November 30 [2025]. Otherwise, we will have to return funds to Brussels”, said the president of the Algarve CCDR.

According to the intermediate objectives set out in the aid regulations, the region has to implement 106 million euros by 2025, having so far managed to implement 14 million, he added.

Algarve 2030, integrated into Portugal 2030, aims to “promote environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness, the valorisation of the territory and people, with a focus on their quality of life”.

The RRP is a program integrated into the extraordinary financing package approved by the European Commission to provide eurozone countries with instruments aimed at economic and social recovery, following the Covid-19 pandemic.