Communiqué from the Council of the Government - Communication

The Council of the Government, which met on January 7, 2025, in Ponta Delgada, adopted the following measures:

1. Housing policy falls within a strategy for regional economic growth, comprising the fulfilment of housing needs, the promotion of employment and the settlement of the population on the nine islands of the Azores.

The enormous effort undertaken by the XIII Government of the Azores in the housing sector is being continued to meet the needs not only of those most in need but also of young people and the middle class, who face difficulties in accessing adequate housing.

With the continued implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) in housing, the Council of the Government Council approved today several resolutions on the sector.

Overall, 227 housing units will be covered, including 103 constructions, 92 renovations, and the allocation of 32 plots, representing an investment of more than 31 million Euros + VAT.

- Construction of 16 houses in the Sete Cidades Housing Development with a base price of €2,900,000.00 + VAT and a completion period of 450 days;

- Construction of 17 houses in the São Vicente Ferreira Housing Development with a base price of €3,150,000.00 + VAT and a completion period of 450 days;

- Construction of 22 houses in the Santa Clara Housing Development with a base price of €3,800,000.00 + VAT and a completion period of 450 days;

- 32 serviced plots in the Biscoito Housing Development, in the parish of Feteiras, with a base price of €1,400,000.00 + VAT and a completion period of 240 days;

- Renovation of 92 houses in the Nascer do Sol Neighbourhood with a base price of €12,129,987.39 + VAT and a completion period of 450 days.

2. Generally approved the Regional Plan for Social Inclusion and Citizenship (PRISC) and decided to put it out for public consultation for 30 days.

The PRISC follows an evaluation process of the Regional Strategy to Fight Poverty and Social Exclusion 2018-2028, which began in 2022.

The PRISC aims to present proposals and outline an action strategy to promote the effective integration of people in social exclusion as well as reduce the poverty rate and the poverty risk in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

PRISC covers the period from 2025 to 2028.

The principles guiding the PRISC aligned with the United Nations' first sustainable development goal, which sets the target of “eradicating extreme poverty everywhere, currently measured by income per person below 1.25 dollars per day” by 2030. It is also the priority of the European Commission's European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan towards reducing the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion to at least 15 million by 2030.

PRISC is a focused plan with measures aimed directly at people and households experiencing or at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

The principles of action include building effective partnerships and networks, liaising between services and institutions, listening to people and identifying their needs, and ensuring clarity and transparency in processes to eliminate arbitrariness.

In drawing up the PRISC, five strategic dimensions were defined that will serve as the basis for defining the measures to be implemented. The strategic dimensions are as follows: Income, Education and Training, Labour, Housing and Health.

3. Approve the Resolution determining the amounts of the Regional Fund for the Development of Azorean Parishes to be allocated to each form of cooperation as well as the areas of regional public interest for technical and financial cooperation with parish councils in 2025.

Regarding cooperation agreements for investment or other public expenditure, the parishes will be allocated €1,417,480.00.

The sum of €1,000,000.00 will be allocated to collaboration agreements for investments or other public expenditure within the remit of the autonomous regional administration. Furthermore, the sum of €1,000,000.00 will be allocated to coordination agreements for investments or other public expenditure that jointly concern the remit of the autonomous regional administration and parishes.

4. Approve the proposal for the Regional Legislative Decree creating the Azorean Private Media Incentive Scheme - SIM.

SIM aims to support the activity of private organisations with their head office or tax domicile in the Region, operating as regional or local media outlets via the press, radio stations, television channels or digital media. 

SIM is also intended to promote the integration, stability and professional development of regional or local media agents. The document is one of the four axes of the "Action Plan for the Azorean Media" recently presented by the Regional Government.

5. Approve the Resolution authorising the Region's membership of the Disruptive & Emerging Technology Alliance (DETA).

DETA is a coalition of governments from various regions and countries that intend to work together to share information, knowledge and best practices on the impact of emerging technologies on public policies.

The alliance aims to work together to help governments adapt their public policies to the emergence of new technologies. These include artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, NewSpace and cybersecurity, maximising new technologies to provide better services to citizens, acquiring the capacity to interact with major technology companies and regulators, and being present in the main global debates on technological governance.

DETA stands out as a distinct global alliance, welcoming democratic regional and national governments worldwide committed to contributing to the debate on technological governance.

Joining DETA is an opportunity to raise the profile of the regional spatial strategy and provide access to important information and cooperation.

6. Approve the Resolution authorising the signing of a cooperation and investment contract between the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security and the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Nordeste, with a view to securing the necessary funding for the Remodelling and Refurbishment of the Residential Structure for the Elderly (ERPI).  

This Resolution is part of the Social Solidarity Policies of the XIV Government of the Azores, namely the measures aimed at responding effectively to the demographic challenge and the progressive ageing of the population, following a path of truly sustainable development.

The cooperation contract with Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Nordeste provides an allocation of up to €6,741,047.16 (six million, seven hundred forty-one thousand, forty-seven Euros).

7. Approve the Resolution authorising the opening of a public procurement procedure to sign a contract for the purchase of a trawler equipment module.

As part of the building process for the research vessel "Azores Ocean," the requirement to take onboard equipment modules to complement and make the installed capacities on the base platform more flexible has been achieved.

This public procurement procedure will have a base price of €1,420,000.00, so the contract to be signed will involve consideration of this price plus VAT at the legal rate in force.

8. Approve the Resolution authorising the extension of the exemption from the application of port use fees to vessels exclusively dedicated to the transport of goods to Flores Island.

This exemption will be in force until 2025, without prejudice to its application being periodically reassessed. It will be in force as long as the constraints on the operational conditions of the Lajes das Flores port remain.

Given the damaging effects of Hurricane Lorenzo on the economy of Flores Island that still persist, aggravated by the passage of the Efrain depression, it is justified to continue the exceptional measures aimed at restoring normal supply conditions to the island. The same applies to those aimed at mitigating the impacts on its economy arising from the restrictions on the operating conditions of the port.

9. Approve the proposal for the Regional Legislative Decree adapting the legal scheme on public passenger transport services by taxi to the specific situation of the Region.

The particular characteristics of the regional market, its small size and geographical dispersion, determined, under the previous legal scheme in force, the position that it was inappropriate for taxi transport services in the Region to be provided and charged using a taximeter, based on the distance travelled and waiting times.

As the reasons that underpinned its position and determined that it be reflected in regional legislation remain, it is important to continue safeguarding that taxis in the Region are exempt from the obligation to be equipped with a taximeter.

Similarly, the characteristics of the regional market also justify the position on the inadequacy of the licence expiry for taxi operators in the event of the death of a sole proprietor.

Most taxi operators in the Region operate as sole proprietors, as in many places throughout the Region the size of the market does not allow operators to bear the added costs of a corporate structure.

10. Approve the Resolution declaring urgent public utility for the compulsory purchase of land plots and the rights thereto required for the construction of the "Capelas Bypass on São Miguel Island."

By Government Council Resolution no. 201/2023, of December 5, the public utility was declared, as a matter of urgency, and administrative possession of the land plots and rights thereto, identified on the plan and map in the annex to that resolution, as necessary for the "Capelas Bypass on São Miguel Island." However, as a consequence of the compulsory purchase, some land plots are enclosed and, and as such, it is necessary to build parallel roads to provide access to these plots.

Therefore, for the construction of the "Capelas Bypass on São Miguel Island," the land plots and the rights thereto, identified in the annex to the proposed resolution, which forms an integral part thereof, are necessary.

11. Approve the Resolution renewing in 2025 the subsidy for passengers residing in the Region, the so-called "Azores Fare."

The "Azores Fare" was created in 2021 by the Regional Government of the Azores with a maximum cost of 60 Euros - round trip - for residents travelling between islands.

This is one of the most successful measures of regional autonomy, as it leads to greater mobility of people and goods between the nine islands, promoting territorial cohesion and a stronger internal market in the Region, with more than one million residents benefiting from this measure.

The amount of the financial contribution from the Autonomous Region of the Azores is set at €9,000,000.00.

12. Approve the Resolution determining the maintenance of the subsidy for the inter-island transport of sick pets for 2024, regardless of the aerodrome or airport of origin and destination, for duly proven medical reasons.

13. Approve the Resolution amending the Youth Free Time Occupation Programme - OTLJ rules.

The Youth Free Time Occupation Programme - OTLJ was created by Government Council Resolution no. 58/2003 of May 22 and was subsequently reformulated by Government Council Resolution no. 46/2010 of March 17.

It is essential to update the rules of the Programme to reflect the new reality of Azorean youth, six years after its implementation.

Today, young people in the Azores are looking to increase their qualifications with social and professional experiences that allow them to identify preferred professional areas. They also intend to ensure greater employability by improving their skills in a real work context and in contact with companies and organisations from various sectors.

With this Resolution now approved, the Government of the Azores also intends to improve the conditions for young people to join the Programme. This involves increasing the scholarship awarded, better adapting the profiles of young people to the projects where they are placed and reformulating the sub-programmes included in the Programme.