Communiqué of the Council of Ministers of September 27, 2018

MIL OSI-C. Mediterranean Region: Portugal

1. The Council of Ministers today approved a new package of diplomas as part of the process of transfer of competences for local authorities and for inter-municipal entities, provided for in the Framework Law on Decentralization, published on 16 August.

The approved skills transfer process is gradual and local authorities can take on new competencies in a phased way by 2021.

After a consensual process with the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities and the National Association of Parishes, the four approved decrees cover the following areas:

– on the roads, transfer to the municipalities the competence to manage road sections and the equipment and infrastructure integrated therein located in the urban perimeters;

– the management of unused public real estate assets is transferred to the municipalities with a view to avoiding the deterioration of the unused, abandoned or abandoned property of the State, promoting their recovery, retention and re-use, allowing the enjoyment and public use and more efficient use of these resources;

– at the level of culture, management, valuation and conservation skills are transferred to a part of the cultural heritage which, if it is classified, is considered to be of local scope and of museums which are not classified as national museums (in general);

– in the area of ​​social action, municipalities and inter-municipal entities will have responsibilities in terms of strategic planning instruments, social development programs and housing comfort, and social assistance, monitoring and support services (in general).

2. Decree-laws transposing the following directives into the national legal order:

– Establishment of the Legal Regime for Payment Services and Electronic Currency (Directive 2015/2366), with a view to creating a European payment market, allowing access to third-party banking information in real time, with the consent of the respective holder;

– Definition of accessibility requirements for websites and mobile applications of public administration bodies and services (Directive 2016/2102). This Decree-Law stipulates that entities, services and bodies of public administration and other organizations should undertake forms of organization and presentation of digital information, both for their websites and for their mobile applications, in order to facilitate access by citizens, especially people with disabilities, by focusing on technical implementations that maximize interoperability with existing support technologies

– Reduction of emissions of certain air pollutants (Directive 2016/2284 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016), including sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds ( NMVOC), ammonia (NH3) and fine particles (PM2.5). The decree-law establishes the obligation to elaborate, adopt and execute the National Program for the Control of Atmospheric Pollution and to monitor the effects of air pollution on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to communicate their results.

3. The establishment of preventive measures to ensure the elaboration of the Espichel-Odeceixe Coastal Coastal Program was approved.

This resolution approves, for two years, preventive measures for areas of frontal dunes of Poc Espichel-Odeceixe.

4. The Government has approved a Resolution of the Council of Ministers which provides financial support for the construction and supervision of the contract, as well as for the acquisition of medical and hospital structural equipment for the future Central Hospital of Madeira. Said financial support is in accordance with the programming provided for in the framework of the multiannual projects and is determined in cooperation with the Government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, in accordance with the principle of national solidarity and in accordance with the Law of Finance of the Autonomous Regions, safeguarding the public interest.

The support to be provided corresponds to 50% of the expenditure related to the construction work of the Central Hospital of Madeira, up to an amount greater than € 132m, and will be made available as the work is ready to be paid.

5. The Government decided to nominate, on the proposal of the Minister of Planning and Infrastructures, Natércia Marília Magalhães Rêgo Cabral to the position of president of the Superior Council of Public Works. The term of office begins on October 1, 2018.

With the representation of the main professional, scientific and economic organizations of national scope, the Superior Council of Public Works will assist the Government in making decisions on investment programs and projects of great relevance to the country.

6. It was authorized to incur expenses, by the Tax and Customs Authority, regarding the acquisition of software licensing and maintenance.

7. Expenditure relating to support for the conclusion of program contracts in the field of vocational education for the 2018/2021 training cycle was also authorized, following the commitment to strengthen training provision and to enhance vocational education.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is a translation. Please accept our apologies should the grammar and / or sentence structure not be perfect.