Communiqué from the Council of the Government - Communication

The Council of the Government, which met on December 4, 2024, in the village of Madalena, Pico Island, adopted the following measures:

1. Approve the draft Law adapting the actuarial mechanism for eligibility for old age pensions.

Azoreans have consistently and demonstrably below the national average life expectancy.

Now, if a homogeneous population group contributes the same number of years and on the same terms as the general population to a social security system, but it is already known from the outset that they will live fewer years - and therefore enjoy their right to an old age pension for fewer years than the rest of the population - the legislator must adapt the actuarial mechanism for eligibility for old age pensions, incorporating what is known to be the average life expectancy of that homogeneous population group at the age of 65.

The constitutional mandate of equality in the right to social security in old age requires the legislator to adapt the social security system whenever it finds an objective and identifiable criterion that allows differentiation to re-establish lost equality.

Accordingly, the Regional Government presents to the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores a draft law that will allow the constitutional right to social security in old age to be fully realised by adapting it to the proven demographic characteristics of the Azorean population. As such, the average life expectancy at 65 in the Autonomous Region of the Azores will become relevant, thereby ensuring the principle of Regional Autonomy in light of the archipelago's reality and the costs it represents.

2. Pass the Resolution approving the transfer of use, free of charge, of the urban property located in the parish and municipality of Lajes do Pico to Clube Desportivo Lajense to carry out its administrative activities.

Clube Desportivo Lajense has shown interest in using the said property to carry out its administrative, cultural and sporting activities, ensuring the well-being and progress of the community where it is based.

3. Approve the Resolution extending the term of the Mission Structure, designated as the Public Administration Modernisation and Reform Mission Structure (EMRAP).

The XIV Government Programme establishes that the reform of the Regional Public Administration, through its modernisation, is a fundamental step towards transforming Azorean society and is one of the priority tasks of the XIV Government of the Azores.

EMRAP plays a structural role in the process of social, organisational and technological transformation of public services, particularly with the coordination of the Experimentation Laboratory of the Regional Public Administration of the Azores, designated Incuba.Açores, and the implementation of LINKA.APR - Information Systems Architecture of the Region. It also plays a key role in coordinating and implementing Component 19 of RRP-Azores.

4. Approve the Regional Implementing Decree regulating the legal scheme for support to be granted to agents promoting cultural activities considered relevant to the Region.

Following various initiatives to liaise and reflect, together with cultural agents in the Azores, on the dynamics of promoting culture in the Region, there is a consensus on the need to update the regulations governing the legal support scheme for cultural activities.

Therefore, it is important to implement mechanisms to make the administrative procedures for this support measure more flexible and less bureaucratic, differentiating them by their systematicity, promoting cultural exchanges and implementing a schedule that provides greater predictability in the planning of cultural activities.

5. Approve the Resolution ratifying all the decisions made by the Board of Directors of the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital between February 2, 2024, and November 1, 2024.

When the term of office of the Board of Directors of the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital ended on February 2, 2024, the Regional Government was prevented from making new appointments, under the terms of Article 12(5) of the EGPR (statute of the regional public manager). Consequently, it only had the power to carry out all the necessary procedures leading to new appointments.

As is public knowledge, on the morning of May 4, 2024, a fire broke out in a technical area of the building housing the Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada Hospital, E. P. E. R. It immediately caused a dysfunction in the functioning of that hospital and the Regional Health Service of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, leading to a postponement of the appointments to the Board of Directors.

Thus, those appointed at the time remained in office until November 1, 2024, the date of the appointment of the new Board of Directors to guarantee the normal functioning of that management body, given the exceptional circumstances mentioned above.

Resolution no. 150-A/2024, issued on October 31, appointed a new Board of Directors with full administrative powers to continue the hospital's mission of providing essential health care.

This Resolution ratifies all decisions made between February 2, 2024, and October 31, 2024, by the then-appointed members of the HDES Board of Directors.

6. Approve the Resolution authorising expenditure by the São Miguel Island Health Unit on the procurement of security and human surveillance services for the period between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027.

The estimated expenditure between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027, by the São Miguel Island Health Unita mounts to €1,125,957.60, plus VAT at the legal rate in force, for a total of €1,306,110.82.

7. Approve the Resolution authorising expenditure on the acquisition of non-specialised medical services for the Basic Emergency Units, Complementary Care Service and Integrated Continuing Care Units of the São Miguel Island Health Unit for  2025.

The expenditure authorised hereby is €1,998,640.00, VAT exempt.

8. Approve the Resolution extending the terms of the Mission Structure for Mental Health and Prevention of Psychiatric Diseases until December 31, 2024.

The XIV Government Programme foresees, as one of the main goals for health policies, the implementation of the Azores Regional Mental Health Programme promoting the development of a strategy for the promotion of mental health and the prevention of psychiatric illnesses.

This goal, along with the challenges associated with it, has been pursued by the Mission Structure for Mental Health and Prevention of Psychiatric Diseases. It is promoting the implementation of the Regional Strategy for the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Psychiatric Diseases in the Region, which is now being finalised.

In this context, it is important to guarantee the continuity and completion of ongoing projects, so it is essential to keep the Mission Structure for Mental Health running until the end of 2024.

9. Pass the Regional Implementing Decree approving the organisational structure, senior management and managerial staff of the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security.

10. Pass the Regional Implementing Decree approving the organisational structure, senior management and managerial staff of the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food.

11. Approve the Resolution regulating the Incentive System for Energy Transition, Digitisation and Reduction of Environmental Impact in the Fishing and Aquaculture Sector, under the RRP Azores.

This measure aims to make fishing and related activities more environmentally sustainable, seeking to establish a more modern, attractive and competitive sector.

This incentive system includes support for owners of fishing vessels registered in regional ports, operators in the processing and marketing sector, fishers' organisations, aquaculture companies and public companies with powers and responsibilities in the fishing sector.

This incentive system aims to modernise and improve the energy performance of the regional fishing fleet.

It also aims to promote innovation in aquaculture to improve the sector's energy performance, reduce waste production at sea and reduce the carbon footprint.

With this Resolution, the Regional Government aims to promote the circular economy throughout the fishing and aquaculture sector and the diversification of the activity, promoting more sustainable and competitive fishing. This is in line with EU targets for environmental sustainability and energy and digital efficiency.

This Incentive Scheme for the fisheries sector will be allocated 1.1 million Euros in the 2025 Regional Budget and 3.9 million Euros in 2026.

12. Approve the preliminary draft law amending Law 95/2021 regulating the use of and access by security forces and services and the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority to surveillance systems for capturing, recording and processing images and sound.

It pursues the goals set out in the Programme of the XIV Government of the Azores, namely to participate in the effort to monitor the immense resources of the Azorean seabed and preserve the environmental and biological legacy of our sea. This involves installing video surveillance systems to monitor Marine Protected Areas in strategic locations to defend legal fishing activity.

This preliminary draft law was again submitted to the Legislative Assembly, as it expired with the end of the XII Legislative Period of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores. It was approved by the Legislative Assembly and then submitted to the Assembly of the Republic as a draft law.

13. Pass the Resolution approving the contract programme with the sports company Santa Clara Açores - Futebol, SAD.

The programme contract with the sports company Santa Clara Açores - Futebol, SAD, concerns men's football for the 2024/2025 sports season, with a view to participating in tourist events of public interest as part of the external promotion of the Azores destination. It also covers actions to ensure widespread dissemination in the media corresponding to initiatives that boost tourism development.

14. Approve the Resolution authorising the urban development operation proposed by the company Janelas Divertidas, Lda. with a view to building a new five-star hotel in the parish of São Pedro, municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, with a planned capacity of 104 beds.

The planned tourist development not only focuses on leisure tourism, incorporating specific areas for this purpose but also encompasses a tourist entertainment component. As such, its implementation will be an asset for the urban quality of the municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, as well as for the growth of the supply of beds in five-star tourist units on São Miguel Island.

15. Approve the Resolution authorising the urban development operation proposed by Tabacaria A Gaivota Limitada, with a view to building a four-star hotel in the parish of São Sebastião, municipality of Ponta Delgada, with a planned capacity of 205 beds.

The planned tourist development, intended to occupy a privileged area on the seafront with an excellent panoramic view of the surroundings, will be an asset for the urban quality of the municipality of Ponta Delgada. It will also increase the supply of beds in four-star tourist units on São Miguel Island.

16. Approve the Resolution introducing amendments to the reference amounts of the average annual unit rate of the Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products - ISP applicable on São Miguel Island.

Following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and the levelling off of commodity prices, it is important to make a close adjustment to the 2019 reference amounts to guarantee the necessary resources for the development of regional policies in line with the budget amounts.

17. Approve the Resolution authorising the global transfer of a maximum amount of €800,000.00 to the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service in 2024 to cover the increase in the base salary of firefighters working for humanitarian associations of volunteer firefighters in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

With the approval of this Resolution, the support to be transferred to the Humanitarian Associations of Volunteer Firefighters in the Region in 2024 is increased by €200,000.00, thus rising to a transfer totalling €800,000.00.

18. Approve the Resolution amending the Protocol signed between the Region and the Agency for the Modernisation and Quality of Citizen Service - RIAC, I.P., to regulate cooperation within the scope of the reimbursement system provided for the pilot project for depositing non-reusable beverage packaging.

Given the high level of participation in the pilot system by the local population, the pilot system for depositing non-reusable plastic, glass and metal beverage containers has been extended until May 17, 2025.

As such, the financial contribution provided for in the protocol is insufficient to cover all the costs involved, namely the costs of the premiums to be awarded to citizens, as well as the administrative and logistical management costs incurred by RIAC, I.P. For this reason, the amounts to be transferred have been increased by 243,250.00 Euros.