en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Portuguese government has announced a subsidy of €1,260 per licensed bus for private public passenger transport operators, aimed at alleviating operational pressures caused by recent fuel price increases. The measure was published this Monday in the Diário da República.
Specifically, this subsidy is a temporary additional grant for M2 and M3 category heavy vehicles authorized to provide public passenger transport services, offering €420 per month for three months, paid in a single installment. Eligible vehicles must hold a valid mandatory periodic inspection certificate and be in good standing with the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT, Instituto de Mobilidade e Transportes). The total subsidy is capped at €15 million, funded by the Environmental Fund (Fundo Ambiental), with the IMT responsible for verifying eligibility and processing payments.
The decree was signed by the Minister of State and Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento; the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho; and the Secretary of State for Mobility, Cristina Maria dos Santos Pinto Dias. The document states that the measure aims to address a "market disruption," citing the following clause: "Given the sharp rise in fuel prices since the end of February due to the armed conflict in the Middle East, we consider that a market disruption has occurred." In recent months, heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and volatility in international markets have put pressure on oil prices, leading to significant fuel price increases.
The document notes that public passenger transport operators, particularly those operating under public service contracts, are bound by strict contractual obligations to maintain established service supply, frequency, and service levels, regardless of cyclical changes in operating costs. These fixed-term contracts do not allow for cost increases to be passed on to fares or for unilateral service reductions. Interested operators must submit applications to the IMT. This subsidy is additional to the financial allocations already earmarked for the Incentiva+TP Program (Programa Incentiva+TP) this year. If the total amount of eligible applications exceeds the €15 million cap, the IMT will proportionally adjust the allocation to each beneficiary within the budget limit.
