Katainen promote invest EU and Horizon 2020 in Portugal

USPA NEWS - Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, and Commissioner Carlos Moedas, responsible for Research, Science and Innovation, are in Lisbon today to promote the Investment Plan for Europe and the Horizon 2020 research funding programme.

Together they are meeting Portuguese political leaders, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), investors and students. Vice-President Katainen said that "following last week's great news from the Council, agreeing the Regulation for a European Fund for Strategic Investments, and a fourth Member State pledging to contribute, the ball is now rolling for the Investment Plan."

Commissioner Moedas said that "I am glad to be in Lisbon to present a plan that can benefit Portugal and Portuguese investment, reinforcing the country's recovery. Portugal is definitely on the right track, but more investment is needed, particularly in research and innovation projects." The European Council has set several objectives to accomplish in the year 2020, environmental, infrastructure and health, among others, that especially benefit the Southern European partners.

Portugal is one of the countries that will benefit from investments in the modernization of infrastructure and investment in technology sectors, in order to reduce the gap between Portugal and community media development. El plan propuesto por el vicepresidente europeo contempla inversiones en desarrollo tecnológico y en la mejora de las existentes y la creación de nuevas infraestructuras.