Portugal was the sixth most attractive country in Europe in attracting foreign investment last year.

In 2022, 248 investment projects were announced for the country, 24% more than in the previous year. Portugal was ahead of countries such as Italy, Poland, Belgium and Ireland in the attractiveness survey prepared by the EY consultancy and reported by ECO.

Only Romania had a greater growth (+86%) in the number of investments raised from abroad. “Portugal, stands out for its resilience in a very challenging economic, social and energy context, managing to counteract the trend of stagnation of FDI in Europe in 2022. This study illustrates the competitive advantage of Eastern, Central and Southern Europe, which it presents a scenario with a lot of potential for Portugal, which can thus continue to position itself as an increasingly attractive destination on the foreign direct investment map”, said Miguel Cardoso Pinto, partner at EY Portugal.

Throughout 2022, companies worldwide announced 5,962 investment projects in Europe, an increase of just 1% compared to 5,877 projects in 2021, a year in which there was a growth of 5%. The table was led by France, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany.

The survey notes that 67% of companies surveyed have “plans to establish or expand operations in Europe in the next year”. Chemical and pharmaceutical companies and those in the service industry are the ones that stand out most in demand, according to the study.