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Secretaria Regional das Finanças, Planeamento e Administração Pública
Regional Government reduces Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products
Regional Government reduces Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products
Secretaria Regional das Finanças, Planeamento e Administração Pública
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
Secretaria Regional das Finanças, Planeamento e Administração Pública
Regional Government meets payments to companies
Regional Government meets payments to companies
March 20, 2026
Regional Government reduces Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products
March 6, 2026
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
February 9, 2026
Regional Government meets payments to companies
News
Regional Directorate for Organisation, Planning and Public Employment
Regional Directorate for Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness
Regional Directorate for the Budget and Treasury
Regional Directorate for Planning and Structural Funds
Regional Administrative Inspectorate
RIAC – Agency for the Modernisation and Quality of Citizen Service, I.P.
Azores Regional Statistics Service
Nota de Imprensa
March 20, 2026
Regional Government reduces Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products
The Regional Secretary for Finance, Planning and Public Administration, Duarte Freitas, announced at the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores that the Regional Government will proceed with a reduction in the Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products (ISP) to curb fuel price rises in the Region. The measure is expected to be reflected in the next price update in April and comes against a backdrop of significant instability in international markets, exacerbated by the conflict in the Middle East. The government official explained that the aim is to “curb the rise in fuel prices” and ease the pressure on Azorean households and businesses. In addition to this decision, Duarte Freitas acknowledged that the Government is keeping a close eye on interest rate trends and has not ruled out the possibility of reactivating the Credithab programme. In this regard, he stated that he is “considering the possibility of reactivating” this support mechanism should there be abnormal increases, as a measure aimed at helping families who are finding it particularly difficult to meet their housing costs. Regarding the cost of living, the Regional Government will also step up the monitoring of prices for essential goods. Such monitoring, which had been carried out on a quarterly basis, will now return to a monthly schedule. According to the Regional Secretary, this change will ensure a “swifter response to any abnormal fluctuations” in prices, particularly at a time marked by energy market volatility.
March 20, 2026
Regional Government reduces Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products
The Regional Secretary for Finance, Planning and Public Administration, Duarte Freitas, announced at the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores that the Regional Government will proceed with a reduction in the Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products (ISP) to curb fuel price rises in the Region. The measure is expected to be reflected in the next price update in April and comes against a backdrop of significant instability in international markets, exacerbated by the conflict in the Middle East. The government official explained that the aim is to “curb the rise in fuel prices” and ease the pressure on Azorean households and businesses. In addition to this decision, Duarte Freitas acknowledged that the Government is keeping a close eye on interest rate trends and has not ruled out the possibility of reactivating the Credithab programme. In this regard, he stated that he is “considering the possibility of reactivating” this support mechanism should there be abnormal increases, as a measure aimed at helping families who are finding it particularly difficult to meet their housing costs. Regarding the cost of living, the Regional Government will also step up the monitoring of prices for essential goods. Such monitoring, which had been carried out on a quarterly basis, will now return to a monthly schedule. According to the Regional Secretary, this change will ensure a “swifter response to any abnormal fluctuations” in prices, particularly at a time marked by energy market volatility.
Nota de Imprensa
March 6, 2026
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
The Regional Government opened today the new service provided by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) at the Integrated Citizen and Business Support Network (RIAC-RIAE) office in Ponta Delgada. The opening ceremony was jointly chaired by the Regional Secretary for Finance, Planning and Public Administration, Duarte Freitas, who oversees the RIAC network, and the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão. The event was also attended by the President of the AIMA Board of Directors, Pedro Portugal Gaspar, and the President of RIAC, Carlos Mateus. This partnership between the regional administration and the national agency aims to decentralise and speed up responses to foreign citizens residing in the Region, facilitating access to essential integration and document regularisation services. At the event, Paulo Estêvão recalled that, until now, immigration services were concentrated on a few islands, which required costly travel during the working week, heavily dependent on air connections. "This was very detrimental to our immigrants. We identified the problem and moved forward with this project together with AIMA, relying on RIAC's outstanding response capacity and efficiency," explained the government official. The Azorean Government is committed to expanding this local response to the entire archipelago in the very short term. “From July this year, we will have a response on all the islands. We will have RIAC offices providing the same effective response in Corvo or São Miguel,” stressed the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities. With a view to ensuring that regularisations take place "in record time" and without bureaucratic delays, the Azorean Government has signed preliminary agreements with AIPA (Association of Immigrants in the Azores) and CRESAÇOR. These entities will provide direct support in preparing the applications, ensuring that the documentation is complete when it reaches the RIAC offices. Paulo Estêvão pointed out that, as of today, the immigrant population in the Azores stands at around 9,000 people. This figure represents less than 4% of the Region's resident population, a growth rate well below the average of 15% recorded in Mainland Portugal. Despite its smaller scale, the government official noted the deeply humanistic approach of this integration policy: "Resolving this bureaucratic issue sends a message that immigration is welcome and that we welcome people." He added: “We are a people of emigrants. We have not forgotten the difficulties we had to face in other lands, and we want to provide all the conditions here to overcome those difficulties.” With the opening of this new office in Ponta Delgada, the Regional Government takes another decisive step towards consolidating an inclusive public service network adapted to the current demographic and social reality of the archipelago.
March 6, 2026
Regional Government opens AIMA service at Ponta Delgada RIAC office and plans to cover all nine islands by July
The Regional Government opened today the new service provided by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) at the Integrated Citizen and Business Support Network (RIAC-RIAE) office in Ponta Delgada. The opening ceremony was jointly chaired by the Regional Secretary for Finance, Planning and Public Administration, Duarte Freitas, who oversees the RIAC network, and the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão. The event was also attended by the President of the AIMA Board of Directors, Pedro Portugal Gaspar, and the President of RIAC, Carlos Mateus. This partnership between the regional administration and the national agency aims to decentralise and speed up responses to foreign citizens residing in the Region, facilitating access to essential integration and document regularisation services. At the event, Paulo Estêvão recalled that, until now, immigration services were concentrated on a few islands, which required costly travel during the working week, heavily dependent on air connections. "This was very detrimental to our immigrants. We identified the problem and moved forward with this project together with AIMA, relying on RIAC's outstanding response capacity and efficiency," explained the government official. The Azorean Government is committed to expanding this local response to the entire archipelago in the very short term. “From July this year, we will have a response on all the islands. We will have RIAC offices providing the same effective response in Corvo or São Miguel,” stressed the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities. With a view to ensuring that regularisations take place "in record time" and without bureaucratic delays, the Azorean Government has signed preliminary agreements with AIPA (Association of Immigrants in the Azores) and CRESAÇOR. These entities will provide direct support in preparing the applications, ensuring that the documentation is complete when it reaches the RIAC offices. Paulo Estêvão pointed out that, as of today, the immigrant population in the Azores stands at around 9,000 people. This figure represents less than 4% of the Region's resident population, a growth rate well below the average of 15% recorded in Mainland Portugal. Despite its smaller scale, the government official noted the deeply humanistic approach of this integration policy: "Resolving this bureaucratic issue sends a message that immigration is welcome and that we welcome people." He added: “We are a people of emigrants. We have not forgotten the difficulties we had to face in other lands, and we want to provide all the conditions here to overcome those difficulties.” With the opening of this new office in Ponta Delgada, the Regional Government takes another decisive step towards consolidating an inclusive public service network adapted to the current demographic and social reality of the archipelago.