Communiqué from the Council of the Government - Communication

The Council of the Government, which met on October 28, 2024, in Ponta Delgada, adopted the following measures:

1. Approve the Resolution amending the Resolutions on the creation of SIMA - Incentive System for Administrative Modernisation.

By decision of the Vice-President of the Government, responsible for Digital Transition, this Resolution authorises the amendment of the technical guidelines contained in SIMA regarding the allocation available for investments. This allows adjustments to be made to their actual implementation swiftly and transparently, namely in terms of the allocation available for investments, so as to ensure that they are adjusted to their actual implementation.

2. Approve the Resolution authorising the signing of a contract-programme between the Region and AD Air Centre - Association for the Development of the Atlantic International Research Centre.

This contract-programme contract will be valid for four years, from 2024 to 2027, amounting to €400,000.00, to support the management, coordination and implementation of the AIR Centre's activities.

3. Pass the Regional Legislative Decree proposal approving the Regional Annual Plan for 2025.

4. Pass the Regional Legislative Decree proposal approving the Regional Budget for 2025. 

5. Approve the Regional Implementing Decree establishing the organisational structure as well as the managerial, specific management and senior staff of the Regional Secretariat for Education, Culture and Sport.

The approval of this new organisational structure as well as the managerial, specific management and senior staff of the Regional Secretariat for Education, Culture and Sport arises from the need to bring them into line with the organisational structure of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores.

6. Approve the Regional Implementing Decree defining the internal organisational structure that provides direct support to the Animal Welfare Ombudsman.

The Regional Animal Welfare Ombudsman position was established by the Regional Legislative Decree no. 20/2021/A.

This Regional Implementing Decree defines the internal organisation structure that will support directly the Animal Welfare Ombudsman. As such, it complies with the provisions of the aforementioned legislative decree, which stipulates that the Ombudsman has his headquarters as well as technical and administrative support services, staffed by regional public administration workers.

7. Approve the Resolution authorising the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food to create and allocate financial support for the maintenance and recovery of olive cultivation in the parishes of Porto Martins, Biscoitos, and São Mateus da Calheta, and at the site of Curato de São Carlos, parish of São Pedro, on the island of Terceira, with a view to encouraging the production of table olives.

Olive production has productive and qualitative potential, as it is a unique regional product. However, production does not keep up with market demands for this product, making it crucial to strengthen and encourage this crop.

Granting financial support for the maintenance and recovery of this crop could improve the income of farmers involved in this production, boost agricultural diversification, recover genetic heritage, preserve traditional species and varieties, and consolidate regional agriculture and its products. 

8. Approve the Resolution amending the amount of support to be granted under Resolution 93/2024, which determines the financial support to be granted to agricultural producers' associations.

Resolution 93/2024 of July 23 authorised the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food to grant financial support in the areas of agriculture, livestock farming, rural development, and the management and enhancement of forestry and hunting resources.

Given the importance and the large number of applications submitted, the amount established in the aforementioned Resolution proved insufficient to fulfil the goals set out therein, making it necessary to amend the amount of support to be awarded.

The financial costs incurred with the Resolution now approved represent an increase of €1,700,000.00.

9. Amend paragraph 2 of the Government Council Resolution no. 92/2024 of July 23 by increasing the amount provided therein to support agricultural cooperatives.

Given the relevance and the large number of applications submitted, the amount stipulated in Resolution 92/2024 proved insufficient to meet the goals set out therein. For this reason, this resolution seeks to amend the amount of support to be allocated.

The financial costs arising from this Resolution represent an increase of €2,700,000.00.

10. Approve the Resolution delegating to the Regional Secretary for the Sea and Fisheries the powers necessary to carry out the contracts signed following the investments approved under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) for the Development of the "Azores Sea Cluster."

11. Adopt the Resolution approving the funding model for Humanitarian Associations of Volunteer Firefighters in the Azores, with a view to guaranteeing financial sustainability and ensuring the continuity of essential emergency and civil protection services.

The Programme of the XIV Government of the Azores establishes as a priority the promotion of the firefighter career, through a salary review and the improvement of working conditions.

The Programme of the Government also points to the need to implement a Financing Model for the Humanitarian Associations of Volunteer Firefighters to endow associations with the financial stability and predictability they need for their human resources, activities, fleet, equipment and facilities.

The funding model approved with this Resolution aims to provide adequate and sustainable support for the Humanitarian Associations of Volunteer Firefighters in the Region.

At present, there is no legal framework defining the distribution of resources to respond to the growing operational demands of associations, especially in areas such as equipment renewal, infrastructure maintenance and operational expenses.

The creation of a new model ensures a fairer and more efficient allocation of resources. It provides greater predictability and financial stability and, consequently, more effective response in emergency and rescue situations, as well as greater transparency in the funding process, with clear and defined criteria.

12. Approve the proposal for a Regional Legislative Decree determining the rules governing the management of specific waste streams.

Regional Legislative Decree no. 24/2012/A of June 1 established the rules applicable to certain waste streams covered by extended producer responsibility, adapting EU obligations on the matter to the Region.

In 2018, some European Union tools on waste management were reformulated.

Considering this update of the EU legal framework on waste, it is necessary to review the legal scheme on the management of specific waste streams in the Region, namely: packaging and packaging waste, oils and used oils, tyres and used tyres, electrical and electronic equipment and electrical and electronic equipment waste, batteries and accumulators and battery and accumulator waste, vehicles and end-of-life vehicles.

This proposal also aims to complement the transposition of the EU legal framework by extending the extended liability regime to certain single-use plastic products.

13. Adopt the Resolution approving the classification of the Volcanic Caves of the Azores.

This classification is based on the respective degree of knowledge and importance in geological, biological, aesthetic and integrity terms.

With the publication of the categories of volcanic caves in the Azores, the constraints and restrictions laid down in Regional Legislative Decree 10/2019/A, as well as the management guidelines in the same decree, can be properly applied, thus contributing to more effective protection and management of volcanic caves.