Manuel Protásio, Teresa Empis Falcão and Frederico Quintela, partner, Of Counsel and managing associate respectively at the Projects - Infrastructures, Energy & Natural Resources, wrote on "The Projects and Construction Review" Portuguese chapter, in which they analysed and gave an overview on the Portuguese situation in this sector.
The lawyers believe that "the sovereign debt crisis and the bailout advanced by the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Portugal in May 2011 forced the Portuguese government to put in place a severe austerity programme, resulting in a significant dropoff in government funding for investment in public infrastructure.".