The Regional Director for Support to the Investment and Competitiveness highlighted the fact that there are 853 licensed industrial establishments in the Azores. Among them, 45% are located on the island of São Miguel, 22% on Terceira and the remaining 33% on other islands.
 
Ricardo Medeiros pointed out that the industrial licensing procedure was modified in 2012 towards its simplification, with less red tape costs and procedures and with shorter response time, stressing that these changes " have resulted in gains for the competitiveness of the sector."
 
The Regional Director spoke on the sidelines of a visit to the new sawmill owned by the company Mariano Brum Gouveia Filhos, Lda. in the municipality of Ribeira Grande. On the occasion, he stated that the entire process concerning industrial licensing and occurrence reporting, such as registrations, ownership transfer and suspension or cessation of activity, among others, is carried out through a platform created for this purpose: the Industrial Licensing Portal. It streamlines procedures in a simplified manner in this platform and without costs for entrepreneurs.
 
"This process is carried out in a dematerialised form by the services of the Regional Directorate, which remains as the sole partner of entrepreneurs. It is also the competent authority for the issuance of the respective licence, without prejudice to the establishment of the necessary contacts with other regional entities involved in the process," said Ricardo Medeiros, who noted "that this is an extremely clarifying aspect for industrialists."
 
Industrial establishments are grouped into four categories, namely Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 and Temporary Industrial Activity, depending on their size and hazard to humans and the environment.
 
Only type 1 and 2 establishments are subject to an installation permit (prior authorisation), while type 3 establishments and temporary industrial activities may immediately apply for an operating license.
 
This license is issued upon verifying the conformity of the installation or alteration of the industrial establishment in compliance with the applicable legal and regulatory rules.
 
Ricardo Medeiros pointed out that the intervention of the licensing entity and other competent entities "is not limited to the issuance of the operating license. In fact, there will be a continuous monitoring of the activity carried out by industrial establishments in pursuit of the main principles of industrial licensing, thus safeguarding public health and workers' health, the safety of people and goods, hygiene and safety in the workplace, and environmental quality."
 
 "Besides the clear encouragement of private initiative, namely the growing responsibility of entrepreneurs, this framework also provides for the creation of better conditions for Azorean companies in the sector to become more competitive on the market, always safeguarding and defending the environment and in a socially responsible attitude," said the Regional Director.