In the document accompanying the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), the government reports increases of 4.1 million euros in road PPPs and 15.3 million euros in healthcare, with railway REF requests decreasing by 5.2 million euros and airport requests remaining unchanged compared to last year.
Currently available information indicates that “the overall value of REF requests presented and requests made in ongoing disputes, submitted by road concessionaires and subconcessionaires, amounts to approximately 1,243.8 million euros,” representing an increase of around 4.1 million euros compared to the State Budget for 2025 report.
The actions in question are initiated by road concessionaires due to alleged impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures adopted at the time. These include the Douro Litoral concessionaire with a request of around 124 million euros, the Baixo Alentejo subconcessionaire with around 9 million euros, the Baixo Tejo subconcession contract subconcessionaire with a requested amount of around 10.7 million euros, and the Autoestradas da Beira Interior, S.A., concessionaire with a requested amount of around 15 million euros.
The OE2026 report further noted the “provisional payment of 18.6 million euros (for the periods of the second half of 2024 and the first half of 2025) within the Rotas do Algarve Litoral, S.A. process, reducing this contingency’s value from 349.6 million euros (value considered in the State Budget for 2025 report) to 331 million euros.”
Moreover, “the railway sector shows a total dispute amount of approximately 198.9 million euros,” with a “decrease of about 5.2 million euros in the total value of disputes, compared to the State Budget for 2025 report.”
This reduction is due to “the resolution of the dispute with Fertagus, which culminated in the conclusion of the financial rebalancing agreement resulting in the extension of the contract with Fertagus for an additional six years and six months, until March 31, 2031.”
Regarding healthcare PPPs, according to the report, the overall contingency value is about 101.7 million euros, an increase of 15.3 million euros compared to the State Budget for 2025 report.
Finally, the arbitration action initiated by ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, S.A. remains, also due to the pandemic’s impact, amounting to 210 million euros.
