Portugal: Guimarães receives advisory support from the EU to accelerate sustainable mobility and climate neutrality

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• Municipality signs advisory agreement with European Investment Bank under the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.
• The focus of the advisory support will be to update Guimarães’ Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) and feasibility studies for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
•  Guimarães is one of the first Portuguese cities to receive Advisory support under the Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission which is part of the InvestEU program.

The municipality of Guimarães has signed an advisory agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB), funded by the European Commission to support the city’s transition towards climate neutrality. The agreement was acknowledged during the official ceremony marking Guimarães’ designation as European Green Capital 2026 and the launch of its year of tenure. Participants in the signing ceremony included Ricardo Araújo Mayor of Guimarães, Joao Fonseca Head of the EIB Group Office in Portugal and Patrick Child, Deputy Director General, DG Environment of the European Commission.  

The advisory support will focus on two closely linked priorities: the update of Guimarães’ Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) and the preparation of technical, economic and financial feasibility studies for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. The BRT is expected to become the backbone of the city’s long-term strategy to decarbonise urban mobility, improve air quality and enhance accessibility for its citizens. This advisory assignment, managed by the EIB and funded by the European Commission through the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, will help the municipality strengthen the bankability and readiness of key mobility investments, paving the way for future financing and implementation.

Cities are at the heart of the climate transition. By supporting Guimarães with targeted advisory services, the EIB and the EC are helping transform strategic plans into concrete, investable projects that deliver real benefits for citizens. Sustainable mobility is a cornerstone of climate-neutral cities and an important element of the European Green Capital award. This agreement reflects the strong partnership between the EIB, the Guimarães city and the Mission Cities initiative.

Guimarães is one the first Portuguese cities, to receive EIB Advisory support under the European Commission’s Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, which is part of the InvestEU program.

Photo caption from left to right: Joao Fonseca Head of the EIB Group Office in Portugal, Ricardo Araújo Mayor of Guimarães, and Patrick Child, Deputy Director General, DG Environment of the European Commission

Background Information:

About the EIB

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, it finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Around half of EIB financing in the European Union goes to cohesion regions, where per capita income is below the EU average, while almost 60% of annual EIB Group investments support climate action and environmental sustainability. 

In Portugal, the EIB provides financing to foster the country’s green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and better services for its people.

High-quality, up-to-date photos of EIB headquarters for media use are available here.

About InvestEU and EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities

The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments previously available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is deployed through implementing partners who will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

The EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, under Horizon Europe, contributes to Europe’s clean and digital transition, aligning with the European Green Deal, the Policy Agenda for Cities, and the Clean Industrial Deal. 

The Cities Mission involves local authorities, citizens, businesses, investors as well as regional and national authorities to

1. Deliver climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 with over 100 having reached mission label milestone 
2. Ensure that these cities act as experimentation and innovation hubs to enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050 

Climate-neutral and smart cities – European Commission