Business cooperation between Portugal and Norway – an Ocean of Opportunities
Portuguese delegation
The Portuguese delegation was headed by the Secretary of State for Planning and the Secretary of State for Internationalisation, each with their teams of advisors. The delegation also included the Chairman & CEO of the Portuguese Trade and Investment Agency (AICEP) as well as the Director of the Nordic Countries at AICEP and the newly appointed representatives for AICEP’s office in Norway.
From the Norwegian side, Norway’s Ambassador in Lisbon as well as staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Innovation Norway are part of organising the visits, meetings and events.
Increased Cooperation in Key Areas of Common Interest
The aim of the visit was to discuss cooperation on shared challenges and opportunities for business, such as the green transition, sustainable ocean industries, digitisation and renewable energy including offshore wind, batteries and electrification, hydrogen and CCS. The Secretary of State for Internationalisation, together with AICEP, held meetings with key Norwegian business actors including Export Finance Norway, Kongsberg Group, Battery Norway, Yara International, NEL Hydrogen, Innovation Norway, Stella Maris CCS, Equinor, Aker / REV Ocean, meetings with the Norwegian Offshore Wind Cluster (NOW). AICEP hosted a round table discussion with Norwegian innovation clusters.
The EEA and Norway Grants in Portugal
The visit from Portugal also highlighted the EEA and Norway Grants as an important part of the relations between Portugal and Norway.
The State Secretary of Planning in Portugal is responsible for the EEA and Norway Grants. The State Secretary was accompanies by the National Focal Point for the EEA and Norway Grants in Portugal. He highlighted the unique opportunity that the Grants provide to cooperate on a range of areas of common interest at meetings with the relevant partners in Norway, including Innovation Norway.
Through the EEA Grants, Norway provides 100 million euro to support social and economic development in Portugal and increase cooperation with Norway. Approx. 38 million euro is set aside for business cooperation in the marine and maritime industries in the programme Blue Growth Innovation and SMEs. The funding is channeled through open calls for project applications in areas of common interest. Norwegian businesses or research institutes can participate in the projects funded. In 2022, more than 50 Norwegian partners re involved in projects on blue growth and the environment with Portugal.
Event at Sentralen: an Ocean of Opportunities for Business Cooperation
On 8 November 2022, Innovation Norway, and Portugal Global Trade & Investment Agency (AICEP) invited for a full day of seminars and networking at Sentralen, Oslo.
Portugal and Innovation Norway organised an event and matchmaking between Norwegian and Portuguese businesses at Sentralen in Oslo on 8 November 2022. More than 50 Norwegian and Portuguese businesses participated in a B2B matchmaking, exchanging contacts for future partnerships. A total of 40 meetings were scheduled in advance of the event, while several other meetings took place more spontaneously. The scheduled and unscheduled matchmaking meetings created a good buzzing atmosphere at Sentralen.
The event aimed to increase business cooperation in the marine/maritime sectors and in renewable energy from alternative sources. This event focussed on upcoming opportunities for business cooperation in the areas of: maritime technology, fisheries, aquaculture, energy resources, biotechnology and the digital transition.
The platform remains open to the participants. If registered, you can access all the profiles via this link to the matchmaking website.
Innovation Norway hopes the B2 meetings contributed to valuable connections and business for the participants. If you found a partner at the event, you can apply for the open call with financing to partnerships for innovation.
Why Portugal?
See the presentation from the CEO and President of AICEP on the Portuguese market: Why Portugal?
By 2026, Portugal will invest 16,6 billion euros as part of its Recovery and Resilience Plan to implement the European Green Deal. Norwegian businesses can cooperate with Portuguese entities in calls, tenders, and projects in Portugal. See the upcoming tenders on the website for Portugal 2030.
Are you a Norwegian business interested in the Portuguese Market?
The Norwegian Embassy in Lisbon and Innovation Norway have made a course on Portugal for Norwegian actors. The course gives an introduction to the Portuguese market, the opportunities within renewable energy and other relevant industries for collaboration.
See the course here: Eksport til Portugal, digitalt kurs (innovasjonnorge.no)
Norway and Portugal in the EEA and Norway Grants
The visit was organised in cooperation with partners in the Portuguese ministries, the Norwegian Embassy in Portugal and Innovation Norway.
Innovation Norway is partner in two programmes financed by the EEA and Norway Grants. The Grants are the contribution from Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein to reducing social and economic disparities and strengthening European cooperation.
Portugal - Blue Growth Innovation and SMEs
Portugal - Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy