Portuguese MEP Carla Tavares (S&D) has asked the European Commission to assess whether a recent decision by the board of AICEP, the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade, to merge fund management into a single department complies with EU rules on separation of functions and risks creating conflicts of interest in the management of Portugal 2030 funds.
The written parliamentary question, submitted on 27 May 2026, targets AICEP's Service Order No 15/2025 of 3 October 2025, which consolidated the analysis and disbursement of European funds under a single decision-making line. Tavares notes that AICEP had previously applied the principle of separation of functions as required by Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 and national Decree-Law No 5/2023, which mandated strict separation between analysis, decision-making, payment, accounting, and audit functions through two autonomous directorates headed by separate administrators.
What the MEP is asking
Tavares poses three specific questions to the Commission: whether the consolidation ensures that designated bodies still meet the criteria set out in EU rules; what steps should be taken to improve transparency and mitigate risks and conflicts of interest; and what best practices exist in this regard.
The question signals concern that merging functions could weaken internal controls and increase the risk of mismanagement or conflicts of interest in the allocation of EU cohesion funds under Portugal 2030.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will indicate whether it views the AICEP restructuring as compliant with EU regulations or whether it may require corrective measures to safeguard the integrity of fund management.