Brussels investigates alleged Chinese subsidies in Lisbon Metro tender

“The Commission has today launched an in-depth investigation under the foreign subsidies regulation concerning possible market distortions caused by foreign subsidies. The investigation will assess whether these subsidies gave the Chinese state-owned rolling stock manufacturer CRRC an undue advantage in participating in a public tender for the procurement of light rail vehicles in Portugal,” announced the institution in a statement.

Brussels indicates that the investigation follows a notification from a consortium led by Mota-Engil, which includes subcontractors such as Portugal CRRC Tangshan Rolling Stock Unipessoal and participated in a Lisbon Metro tender launched in April 2025 for the design, construction, and maintenance of the new violet line.