“Right now, the [community framework] Portugal 2020 has an implementation rate at around 30% of the funds and has a commitment of 70% of the funds.

We want to anticipate the commitments of these funds in one year and reach the end of 2019 with 100%,” Albuquerque told Lusa in Coimbra.

According to her, this goal is because the government feels “the demand [for the funds]” and that it “can go further.”

On investment in the interior of Portugal, Albuquerque stressed that of the additional €5 billion foreseen in the reprogramming of Portugal 2020 for business investment, about 35% (€1.7 billion) is to be allocated to low-density territories.

She said that the business investment in low-density territories supported by the community framework was at 22% in 2016, increasing to 27% in 2018.

It is expected to reach 30% by the end of Portugal 2020, Albuquerque said.