Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal: Catalyst for the Portuguese Economy

The Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal (AICEP), located in Lisbon, is a public corporate entity crucial to the Portuguese economy, working under the aegis of the Government of Portugal and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. AICEP, whose current president is Filipe Santos Costa, acts as a global communicator under the aicep Portugal Global brand and was created on October 30, 2002, as an evolution of the Portuguese Foreign Trade Institute (ICEP).

Objectives and Mission

AICEP’s main mission is to develop and implement structuring and support policies for the internationalization of the Portuguese economy. The agency strives to promote favorable conditions for attracting investments, whether national or foreign, in excess of 25 million euros, and supervises investment projects that contribute to the development or expansion of national companies through innovative activities.

AICEP is also dedicated to promoting and disseminating economic activities carried out in Portugal, supporting internationalization projects for Portuguese companies, and promoting the image of Portugal and Portuguese brands globally.

Origin and Evolution

AICEP has its roots in the Portuguese Investment Agency (API), the first Portuguese agency to adopt the figure of a public business entity (EPE), and its first president was Miguel Cadilhe. API stood out for being one of the first investment promotion agencies to take on a relevant role in the fight against so-called “context costs”, which are structural obstacles, practices or regulations that prevent an environment conducive to investment.

In 2007, API was renamed Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal (AICEP), also absorbing the functions of Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal, I. P. (ICEP). (ICEP). ICEP, created in 1982, was initially called the Portuguese Foreign Trade Institute.

The Portuguese Investment and Foreign Trade Agency continues to be a driving force in promoting a favorable environment for investment and boosting the Portuguese economy on the global stage. By facilitating the internationalization of Portuguese companies and attracting foreign investment, AICEP plays a crucial role in projecting Portugal as a valuable economic partner on the international stage.