presentation delivered during the event "experiencias de provisión y financiamiento de infraestructura bajo alianzas publico-privadas", held at the inter-american development bank headquarters, washington d.c., usa, december 8-9, 2005. it describes the relationship between portugal and the european investment bank. the former has been wholly classified as a regional development area and, as a consequence, all loans have benefited from the "regional development" eligibility criteria, allowing for maximization of lending in proportion to eligible project costs.