European Commission Sanctions Shake Lisbon Metro Project

A Chinese company, CRRC Tangshan, was part of a consortium chosen to build Lisbon's new subway line. However, the European Commission found the company benefited from unfair foreign subsidies, leading Mota-Engil to replace it with Polish competitor PESA. Construction completion is expected in 2029.

The European Commission has identified that a Chinese company, CRRC Tangshan, benefitted from unfair foreign subsidies while participating in a consortium for a new Lisbon subway line project.

This action compelled consortium leader Mota-Engil to opt for a Polish alternative, PESA, for the project's rolling stock requirements.

The investigation underscored the distortion caused in the procurement process, with completion of Lisbon's Violet Line projected for 2029 at a cost of approximately 600 million euros.