Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional
Comemorações do Dia da Europa em São Jorge dedicadas às Reservas da Biosfera
Comemorações do Dia da Europa em São Jorge dedicadas às Reservas da Biosfera
Secretaria Regional do Mar e das Pescas
Regional Government launches new clean-up campaign to tackle growing marine litter threat
Regional Government launches new clean-up campaign to tackle growing marine litter threat
Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional
Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government promotes Europe Day celebrations in São Jorge
Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government promotes Europe Day celebrations in São Jorge
Presidência do Governo Regional
Presidency of the Government hosts conference under 9th International Colloquium "The Manor House in Portugal, Brazil and Goa"
Presidency of the Government hosts conference under 9th International Colloquium "The Manor House in Portugal, Brazil and Goa"
Nota de Imprensa
May 11, 2025 Comemorações do Dia da Europa em São Jorge dedicadas às Reservas da Biosfera A Vice-Presidência do Governo dos Açores promoveu, a 9 de maio, as comemorações do Dia da Europa na vila de Velas, ilha de São Jorge, com a realização de um conjunto de iniciativas culturais e educativas alusivas às Reservas das Biosfera, em parceria com a Câmara Municipal de Velas, a Escola Básica e Secundária de Velas e com a Escola Básica e Secundária de Calheta. As celebrações iniciaram-se na Escola Básica e Secundária de Velas com o hastear das bandeiras de Portugal, da Região Autónoma dos Açores e da União Europeia, ao som dos respetivos hinos, interpretados por alunos da EBS Velas e da EBS Calheta. De seguida, teve lugar uma aula-debate conduzida sob o tema “75 anos de integração europeia: A Declaração de Schuman hoje e os Açores”. A tarde prosseguiu com o concurso de cultural geral “Europa Quiz”, sobre os Açores e a União Europeia, História, Geografia & Demografia e Instituições & Pessoas, com a participação de alunos das escolas EBS Velas, EBS Calheta e Escola Profissional da Ilha de São Jorge. Realizaram-se ainda oficinas exploratórias dedicadas às Reservas da Biosfera dos Açores. As atividades retomaram no Auditório Municipal de Velas com nova cerimónia de hastear de bandeiras, acompanhada musicalmente pela Banda Filarmónica Lusitânia Liberdade, que antecedeu a conferência “A Europa do Amanhã: o contributo da implementação das Reservas da Biosfera”, apresentada pela investigadora da Universidade dos Açores, Maria Anunciação Ventura. Seguiu-se um painel de debate dedicado às Reservas das Biosfera dos Açores, com a participação do presidente da Câmara Municipal de Velas, Luís Silveira, o Gestor da Reserva da Biosfera das Fajãs de São Jorge, Paulo Jorge Silveira, e também a investigadora da Universidade dos Açores, Maria Anunciação Ventura, encerrando com uma intervenção do Vice-Presidente do Governo dos Açores, Artur Lima. Estas comemorações relevam o valor ecológico, cultural, económico e social das quatro Reservas da Biosfera existentes nos Açores (Corvo, Flores, Graciosa e Fajãs de São Jorge) e reafirmam também o compromisso da Região com o projeto europeu e o papel das Regiões Ultraperiféricas na construção de uma Europa mais coesa, sustentável e participativa.
May 11, 2025 Comemorações do Dia da Europa em São Jorge dedicadas às Reservas da Biosfera A Vice-Presidência do Governo dos Açores promoveu, a 9 de maio, as comemorações do Dia da Europa na vila de Velas, ilha de São Jorge, com a realização de um conjunto de iniciativas culturais e educativas alusivas às Reservas das Biosfera, em parceria com a Câmara Municipal de Velas, a Escola Básica e Secundária de Velas e com a Escola Básica e Secundária de Calheta. As celebrações iniciaram-se na Escola Básica e Secundária de Velas com o hastear das bandeiras de Portugal, da Região Autónoma dos Açores e da União Europeia, ao som dos respetivos hinos, interpretados por alunos da EBS Velas e da EBS Calheta. De seguida, teve lugar uma aula-debate conduzida sob o tema “75 anos de integração europeia: A Declaração de Schuman hoje e os Açores”. A tarde prosseguiu com o concurso de cultural geral “Europa Quiz”, sobre os Açores e a União Europeia, História, Geografia & Demografia e Instituições & Pessoas, com a participação de alunos das escolas EBS Velas, EBS Calheta e Escola Profissional da Ilha de São Jorge. Realizaram-se ainda oficinas exploratórias dedicadas às Reservas da Biosfera dos Açores. As atividades retomaram no Auditório Municipal de Velas com nova cerimónia de hastear de bandeiras, acompanhada musicalmente pela Banda Filarmónica Lusitânia Liberdade, que antecedeu a conferência “A Europa do Amanhã: o contributo da implementação das Reservas da Biosfera”, apresentada pela investigadora da Universidade dos Açores, Maria Anunciação Ventura. Seguiu-se um painel de debate dedicado às Reservas das Biosfera dos Açores, com a participação do presidente da Câmara Municipal de Velas, Luís Silveira, o Gestor da Reserva da Biosfera das Fajãs de São Jorge, Paulo Jorge Silveira, e também a investigadora da Universidade dos Açores, Maria Anunciação Ventura, encerrando com uma intervenção do Vice-Presidente do Governo dos Açores, Artur Lima. Estas comemorações relevam o valor ecológico, cultural, económico e social das quatro Reservas da Biosfera existentes nos Açores (Corvo, Flores, Graciosa e Fajãs de São Jorge) e reafirmam também o compromisso da Região com o projeto europeu e o papel das Regiões Ultraperiféricas na construção de uma Europa mais coesa, sustentável e participativa.
Nota de Imprensa
May 9, 2025 Regional Government launches new clean-up campaign to tackle growing marine litter threat As part of the celebrations of European Maritime Day (May 20), the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, through the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies (DRPM), and in collaboration with the Blue Azores programme, invites the entire Azorean community to take part in the Regional Coastal and Underwater Clean-up Campaign 2025. The initiative aims to join forces in protecting the coastal ecosystem and marine life by removing waste accumulated in the marine environment. There are already 25 clean-up actions in May. In the Azores, the latest data shows that marine litter continues to pose a serious threat to natural habitats. According to the latest report assessing the environmental status of the Azores' marine waters under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the abundance of macro-litter on Azorean beaches is above the European reference limit (20 items/100 m), with a regional median of 50 items/100 m. This reflects the urgent need to reduce the presence of this type of waste by 60% to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES). Marine litter in the Azores is dominated by plastics, which account for 84% of the waste collected on the coast/beaches between 2016 and 2023, with small plastic fragments (between 0 and 2.5 cm) being the most frequent. These materials not only degrade the landscape but also have significant impacts on marine wildlife, from ingestion by birds, such as Corey's shearwater specimens, to the entanglement of turtles and cetaceans. All the data collected during the clean-up actions carried out in 2025 will also contribute to the targets of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA and CircularOcean projects (1/MAC/2/2.6/0023), in addition to being part of the international reporting within the scope of the MSFD and the OSPAR Convention. This will reinforce the active role of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in protecting the North-East Atlantic. How to participate: - Organise a clean-up action in your area, preferably within Natura 2000 areas; - Take part in actions already planned by local associations or schools (registered events will be disseminated on the Government's marine litter portal); - Advertise the campaign on social media, inviting friends and family to join in; - Register the type and weight of waste collected at: www.lixomarinho.azores.gov.pt. The actions are open to schools, associations, companies and citizens in general. Registration for an initiative can be done by filling in the form available at https://forms.gle/efhswVYyYyPd5fnu9 or by contacting: lixomarinho@azores.gov.pt.
May 9, 2025 Regional Government launches new clean-up campaign to tackle growing marine litter threat As part of the celebrations of European Maritime Day (May 20), the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, through the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies (DRPM), and in collaboration with the Blue Azores programme, invites the entire Azorean community to take part in the Regional Coastal and Underwater Clean-up Campaign 2025. The initiative aims to join forces in protecting the coastal ecosystem and marine life by removing waste accumulated in the marine environment. There are already 25 clean-up actions in May. In the Azores, the latest data shows that marine litter continues to pose a serious threat to natural habitats. According to the latest report assessing the environmental status of the Azores' marine waters under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the abundance of macro-litter on Azorean beaches is above the European reference limit (20 items/100 m), with a regional median of 50 items/100 m. This reflects the urgent need to reduce the presence of this type of waste by 60% to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES). Marine litter in the Azores is dominated by plastics, which account for 84% of the waste collected on the coast/beaches between 2016 and 2023, with small plastic fragments (between 0 and 2.5 cm) being the most frequent. These materials not only degrade the landscape but also have significant impacts on marine wildlife, from ingestion by birds, such as Corey's shearwater specimens, to the entanglement of turtles and cetaceans. All the data collected during the clean-up actions carried out in 2025 will also contribute to the targets of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA and CircularOcean projects (1/MAC/2/2.6/0023), in addition to being part of the international reporting within the scope of the MSFD and the OSPAR Convention. This will reinforce the active role of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in protecting the North-East Atlantic. How to participate: - Organise a clean-up action in your area, preferably within Natura 2000 areas; - Take part in actions already planned by local associations or schools (registered events will be disseminated on the Government's marine litter portal); - Advertise the campaign on social media, inviting friends and family to join in; - Register the type and weight of waste collected at: www.lixomarinho.azores.gov.pt. The actions are open to schools, associations, companies and citizens in general. Registration for an initiative can be done by filling in the form available at https://forms.gle/efhswVYyYyPd5fnu9 or by contacting: lixomarinho@azores.gov.pt.
Nota de Imprensa
May 8, 2025 Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government promotes Europe Day celebrations in São Jorge On Friday, May 9, the Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government promotes the regional celebrations of Europe Day in Velas, São Jorge Island, with various educational, cultural and recreational initiatives aimed at the school community and civil society. The commemorative program begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Velas Basic Education and Secondary School. It will be marked by the hoisting of flags and the performance of the Portuguese, Azorean and European Union anthems by students from the Velas and Calheta Basic Education and Secondary Schools. At the school auditorium, a class on “75 years of European integration: The Schuman Declaration today and the Azores” is being held for secondary school students from Velas Basic Education School, Calheta Basic Education School and São Jorge Vocational School. This will be followed by the “Europe Quiz” - a trivia-type contest featuring general culture questions about the Azores and the European Union, History, Geography & Demography and Institutions & People - which will involve the participation of teams from Velas Basic Education School, Calheta Basic Education School and São Jorge Vocational School. The programme also includes exploratory workshops on the Azorean Biosphere Reserves and the delivery of prizes to the contest winners by the Vice-President of the Government. The ceremony will continue at the Velas Municipal Auditorium, where there will be a moment for civil society, starting at 7 p.m. with the performance of the Portuguese, Azorean and European Union anthems by the Lusitânia Liberdade Philharmonic Band, which will precede the conference “The Europe of Tomorrow: the contribution of the implementation of Biosphere Reserves” to be delivered by Maria Anunciação Ventura, a researcher at the University of the Azores. There will be a panel discussion featuring the mayor of Velas, Luís Silveira, the mayor of Calheta, Décio Pereira, the manager of the Fajãs de São Jorge Biosphere Reserve, Paulo Jorge Silveira, and also the professor and researcher at the University of the Azores, Maria Anunciação Ventura. The session will be moderated by Rodrigo Rodrigues Silva. The Europe Day celebrations, promoted by the Vice-Presidency of the Government, are a joint effort between Velas Town Council, Velas Basic Education and Secondary School and Calheta Basic Education and Secondary School. These celebrations, which this year are dedicated to UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, are intended to emphasise the ecological, cultural, economic and social value of the four existing reserves in the Azores (Corvo, Flores, Graciosa and Fajãs de São Jorge) on the national and European scene. Furthermore, they aim to raise awareness and stimulate the interest and participation of the entire community in activities related to the European Union, contributing to active European citizenship through greater and better dissemination and knowledge of European issues in general and the Outermost Regions in particular, as is the case with the Azores.
May 8, 2025 Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government promotes Europe Day celebrations in São Jorge On Friday, May 9, the Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government promotes the regional celebrations of Europe Day in Velas, São Jorge Island, with various educational, cultural and recreational initiatives aimed at the school community and civil society. The commemorative program begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Velas Basic Education and Secondary School. It will be marked by the hoisting of flags and the performance of the Portuguese, Azorean and European Union anthems by students from the Velas and Calheta Basic Education and Secondary Schools. At the school auditorium, a class on “75 years of European integration: The Schuman Declaration today and the Azores” is being held for secondary school students from Velas Basic Education School, Calheta Basic Education School and São Jorge Vocational School. This will be followed by the “Europe Quiz” - a trivia-type contest featuring general culture questions about the Azores and the European Union, History, Geography & Demography and Institutions & People - which will involve the participation of teams from Velas Basic Education School, Calheta Basic Education School and São Jorge Vocational School. The programme also includes exploratory workshops on the Azorean Biosphere Reserves and the delivery of prizes to the contest winners by the Vice-President of the Government. The ceremony will continue at the Velas Municipal Auditorium, where there will be a moment for civil society, starting at 7 p.m. with the performance of the Portuguese, Azorean and European Union anthems by the Lusitânia Liberdade Philharmonic Band, which will precede the conference “The Europe of Tomorrow: the contribution of the implementation of Biosphere Reserves” to be delivered by Maria Anunciação Ventura, a researcher at the University of the Azores. There will be a panel discussion featuring the mayor of Velas, Luís Silveira, the mayor of Calheta, Décio Pereira, the manager of the Fajãs de São Jorge Biosphere Reserve, Paulo Jorge Silveira, and also the professor and researcher at the University of the Azores, Maria Anunciação Ventura. The session will be moderated by Rodrigo Rodrigues Silva. The Europe Day celebrations, promoted by the Vice-Presidency of the Government, are a joint effort between Velas Town Council, Velas Basic Education and Secondary School and Calheta Basic Education and Secondary School. These celebrations, which this year are dedicated to UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, are intended to emphasise the ecological, cultural, economic and social value of the four existing reserves in the Azores (Corvo, Flores, Graciosa and Fajãs de São Jorge) on the national and European scene. Furthermore, they aim to raise awareness and stimulate the interest and participation of the entire community in activities related to the European Union, contributing to active European citizenship through greater and better dissemination and knowledge of European issues in general and the Outermost Regions in particular, as is the case with the Azores.
Nota de Imprensa
May 7, 2025 Presidency of the Government hosts conference under 9th International Colloquium "The Manor House in Portugal, Brazil and Goa" The Presidency of the Regional Government of the Azores hosts the conference "The desire for distinction in current architecture: two houses in Parede, municipality of Cascais, 1910-1930" to be delivered today, May 7, by Raquel Henriques da Silva, art historian and professor, at the Sant'Ana Palace in Ponta Delgada at 5:30 p.m. A retired full professor at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Raquel Henriques da Silva specialises in 19th and 20th-century Portuguese art, with a vast body of published work on architecture, urbanism, museology and the history of artistic institutions. She was the director of the Chiado Museum - National Museum of Contemporary Art (1993-1997) and the Portuguese Institute of Museums (1997-2002), playing a central role in promoting the national artistic heritage. The conference is being held as part of the 9th International Colloquium "The Manor House in Portugal, Brazil and Goa. Anatomy of Interiors. Centres and Peripheries, Crossroads and Circulations," which is taking place for the first time in the Azores, from May 7 to 11, at the University of the Azores in Ponta Delgada. Under the high patronage of the Presidency of the Regional Government of the Azores, the conference brings together researchers from Portugal, Brazil and Goa to participate in a comprehensive debate on the historical and cultural dynamics of the manor house. The session will be followed, at 6:15 p.m., by the presentation of the e-book Casas Senhoriais e as suas vivências. Portugal, Brazil and Goa, coordinated by Ana Pessoa and Helder Carita, which compiles studies on experiences, sociability and representations in the Portuguese, Brazilian and Indo-Portuguese contexts. Admission is free but limited to the number of seats available.
May 7, 2025 Presidency of the Government hosts conference under 9th International Colloquium "The Manor House in Portugal, Brazil and Goa" The Presidency of the Regional Government of the Azores hosts the conference "The desire for distinction in current architecture: two houses in Parede, municipality of Cascais, 1910-1930" to be delivered today, May 7, by Raquel Henriques da Silva, art historian and professor, at the Sant'Ana Palace in Ponta Delgada at 5:30 p.m. A retired full professor at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Raquel Henriques da Silva specialises in 19th and 20th-century Portuguese art, with a vast body of published work on architecture, urbanism, museology and the history of artistic institutions. She was the director of the Chiado Museum - National Museum of Contemporary Art (1993-1997) and the Portuguese Institute of Museums (1997-2002), playing a central role in promoting the national artistic heritage. The conference is being held as part of the 9th International Colloquium "The Manor House in Portugal, Brazil and Goa. Anatomy of Interiors. Centres and Peripheries, Crossroads and Circulations," which is taking place for the first time in the Azores, from May 7 to 11, at the University of the Azores in Ponta Delgada. Under the high patronage of the Presidency of the Regional Government of the Azores, the conference brings together researchers from Portugal, Brazil and Goa to participate in a comprehensive debate on the historical and cultural dynamics of the manor house. The session will be followed, at 6:15 p.m., by the presentation of the e-book Casas Senhoriais e as suas vivências. Portugal, Brazil and Goa, coordinated by Ana Pessoa and Helder Carita, which compiles studies on experiences, sociability and representations in the Portuguese, Brazilian and Indo-Portuguese contexts. Admission is free but limited to the number of seats available.
Nota de Imprensa
May 6, 2025 IRAE complies with operational plans for defence of Azorean consumers According to its Activity Report, the Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities (IRAE) carried out 4,495 inspections in 2024, 40% above the target set for that year. Among the number of inspections carried out, 78% fell within the scope of the 13 operational plans implemented during 2024. This is a clear indication of IRAE's proactive approach to conducting its operational activities to protect and safeguard Azorean consumers' rights and interests. In 2024, IRAE complied with its Annual Operational Inspection Plan, which was divided into operational plans that focused on the areas of public health protection or the safety of consumer goods, for example, namely "commercial practices with price reductions in retail sales," "tobacco" and "availability, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages," among others. During the same period, 3,973 investigations were conducted, resulting in 674 investigation procedures and 230 administrative offence procedures, and 470 reports were provided by IRAE. Also according to IRAE's Activity Report, available for consultation at portal.azores.gov.pt, consumers submitted 1,881 complaints in 2024, with 36% being converted into investigation procedures. The remainder concerned acknowledgements of the service provided and complaints whose scope goes beyond IRAE's remit, having been forwarded to the competent entities. As for this year, we would like to highlight the operational plan, at a regional level, aimed at sales with price reductions in retail sales, such as sales, promotions and clearance sales, the price display on various products and misleading actions. The implementation of this operational plan, whose inspection actions took place between January 20 and February 28 with economic operators located on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and Pico, resulted in the inspection of 226 economic operators and the filing of 8 administrative offence cases. Among the offences identified are the failure to specify the type of sale, the type of product or the lowest price previously charged, the date of commencement and the duration of the sale, the failure to comply with the deadline of five working days for the trader to submit a sales declaration to the competent authority, the failure to display the sales price both in the shop and in shop windows, and unfair commercial practices.
May 6, 2025 IRAE complies with operational plans for defence of Azorean consumers According to its Activity Report, the Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities (IRAE) carried out 4,495 inspections in 2024, 40% above the target set for that year. Among the number of inspections carried out, 78% fell within the scope of the 13 operational plans implemented during 2024. This is a clear indication of IRAE's proactive approach to conducting its operational activities to protect and safeguard Azorean consumers' rights and interests. In 2024, IRAE complied with its Annual Operational Inspection Plan, which was divided into operational plans that focused on the areas of public health protection or the safety of consumer goods, for example, namely "commercial practices with price reductions in retail sales," "tobacco" and "availability, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages," among others. During the same period, 3,973 investigations were conducted, resulting in 674 investigation procedures and 230 administrative offence procedures, and 470 reports were provided by IRAE. Also according to IRAE's Activity Report, available for consultation at portal.azores.gov.pt, consumers submitted 1,881 complaints in 2024, with 36% being converted into investigation procedures. The remainder concerned acknowledgements of the service provided and complaints whose scope goes beyond IRAE's remit, having been forwarded to the competent entities. As for this year, we would like to highlight the operational plan, at a regional level, aimed at sales with price reductions in retail sales, such as sales, promotions and clearance sales, the price display on various products and misleading actions. The implementation of this operational plan, whose inspection actions took place between January 20 and February 28 with economic operators located on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and Pico, resulted in the inspection of 226 economic operators and the filing of 8 administrative offence cases. Among the offences identified are the failure to specify the type of sale, the type of product or the lowest price previously charged, the date of commencement and the duration of the sale, the failure to comply with the deadline of five working days for the trader to submit a sales declaration to the competent authority, the failure to display the sales price both in the shop and in shop windows, and unfair commercial practices.
