Constança Urbano de Sousa was speaking during a lunch organised by the Portuguese-Spanish Chamber of Commerce, at which she stressed that the protection of refugees is a humanitarian duty that has been given enormous backing by Portuguese society.

The surge in applications last year was, she said, related to the inflow of migrants into Europe, and has made necessary a “collective effort” to protect people who are fleeing from war and human rights violations.

“As a country, we can be proud of following a policy of very active and committed participation in the establishment of this European policy, based on the values of solidarity, through the mechanisms to relocate refugees from Greece and Italy, but also through the resettlement from countries bordering on Europe,” the minister said.

European Commission figures show Portugal as having received 1,415 refugees from Greece and Italy to 4 September under the European Union relocation mechanism, launched two years ago.

Under the existing agreement, Portugal is to receive a further 1,536 people.

In total in the EU to 4 September 27,695 people have been resettled – 19,244 from Greece and 8,451 from Italy – under a programme in which as well as EU member states Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are taking part.