Regional Secretariat for the Economy
Powers:
The Regional Secretariat for the Economy (SRE) is the Autonomous Region of the Azores government department which is responsible for planning, implementing and assessing specific activities defined by the government within the sphere of economic activities involving the production of goods and services in industry, commerce, energy, air and maritime transport, tourism, cooperatives and handicrafts, in addition to general policies which promote and support investment, economic cohesion and business development.
Within the established government guidelines, the SRE is responsible for:
a) Promoting and creating conditions which encourage and sustain an economic an social environment that is favourable to investment and the development of new competitive elements;
b) Boosting region production by supporting quality and R&D technological initiatives in the areas of industry, energy and geological resources, human resources training and the entrepreneurial base;
c) Ensuring the development of an honest and open system of competition that guarantees the consumer rights and access to the benefits of innovation and a well-balanced relationship between businesses, namely by reinforcing inspection, monitoring and sanctions mechanisms;
d) Supporting the modernisation of business structures, particularly by creating conditions that consolidate and strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises and by promoting cooperation initiatives and good relationships between competing businesses, both in the public and the private sector;
e) Promoting quality guarantees for products and services within its areas of authority;
f) Developing a concerted and sustained tourism policy by ensuring essential resources are available in accordance with the social, cultural and environmental needs required to qualify and diversify regional tourism and make it competitive;
g) Fostering and promoting the craft industry;
h) Developing inspection measures for economic activities in order to ensure the quality and safety of products and services and to regulate competition;
i) Promoting the implementation of preventive and repressive measures against the laundering of money and other illegal assets;
j) Promoting compliance with regulations on the labelling of goods, services and foodstuffs destined for the final consumer;
l) Developing and coordinating all actions involved in implementing the economic policy defined for the transport sector, with a view to developing inter-island and exterior links.
The Regional Secretary for the Economy is responsible for ensuring that the tasks described in the previous points are carried out, namely by:
a) Proposing, defining and executing regional policies that fall within the SRE's areas of responsibility;
b) Superintending and coordinating the organisations and services that work under it;
c) Directing and coordinating all SRE activities;
d) Representing the SRE;
e) Exercising any other powers attributed by law.