CIP urges Portuguese government to involve national firms in 10 billion euro defense spending

The Confederação Empresarial de Portugal (CIP) is calling on the government to ensure national companies participate in defense investments totaling approximately 10 billion euros over the next decade.

During a conference titled ‘Defense Industry: positioning Portuguese companies’, CIP President Armindo Monteiro emphasized that the defense sector should serve as an engine for economic growth. He noted that the industry currently supports 40,000 jobs in Portugal, but significant investments in naval frigates, Air Force fighter jets, and Army armored vehicles could potentially create an additional 40,000 jobs, including 20,000 highly skilled positions with salaries significantly above the national average.

Monteiro urged the government to coordinate with businesses and the scientific-technological system to streamline large acquisitions. He argued that a national industrial policy for defense is necessary to allow Portuguese companies to compete within European and international value chains, turning global geopolitical shifts into economic opportunities.