Algarve has spent just €13 million of the total €780.3 million set aside for the region
The Algarve has used just 1.67% of its available European Union (EU) funds under the Algarve 2030 programme, raising concerns that the region could lose millions in funding for failing to respect deadlines.
According to the Algarve’s regional development body (CCDR), this means only €13 million of the total €780.3 million have actually been spent by the end of April 2025. The programme is part of a major EU initiative to support regional development between 2021 and 2027.
While the spending rate is low, 16.37% of the funds (around €128 million) have already been committed to approved projects. The money comes mostly from two European funds: €668 million from the European Regional Development Fund and €112 million from the European Social Fund Plus.
The Algarve 2030 programme aims to support projects that boost environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness, and quality of life in the region.
To speed things up, the programme’s management is now offering up to 100% advance payments for approved expenses submitted before October 31 and has increased co-financing rates by 5 to 10 percentage points for some projects, especially those run in partnership with local councils and public agencies.
Now, the regional authority is urging public institutions – such as municipalities, universities, and water and waste services – to submit their funding applications by the end of May.
The region must spend at least €106 million by November 30 to meet EU rules (the “N+3” rule) and avoid losing funds, as this year marks the first official check on Algarve 2030’s progress.
