Ordinance approving Programme to Support Restaurants and Hotels in the Purchase of Regional Products has been published
The ordinance approving the Programme to Support Restaurants and Hotels in the Purchase of Regional Products, which was recently announced by the President of the Government, has just been published in the Official Journal.
This measure, which is part of the Azorean Agenda for Employment Creation and Business Competitiveness, provides the allocation of financial support to help restaurants and companies in the purchase of regional products as a way of fostering the development of regional potentialities by increasing the use of local resources.
With this programme, the Regional Government intends to stimulate regional production by reducing imports and, simultaneously, supporting the sectors that were most affected by the current economic situation, such as the case of the restaurant and hotel sectors.
According to the ordinance, the support will be allocated in the form of a non-repayable subsidy corresponding to 10 percent of the amount for the purchase of regional products. This initiative also establishes a premium for the purchase of certified products, thus increasing the reimbursement rate to 14 percent.
Sole proprietors, individual establishments with limited liability, commercial companies and cooperatives operating in the Region in accommodation, restaurant sector or similar services are the eligible beneficiaries of the Programme to Support Restaurants and Hotels in the Purchase of Regional Products.
This financial support measure cannot exceed the annual amount of five thousand Euros per establishment and fifteen thousand Euros per company.
On the other hand, the ordinance now published requires promoters to include in the menu one or two dishes based on Azorean culinary traditions, with predominant use of regional products, or innovative dishes using regional products for the period of one year from the allocation of the subsidy.
The wording of this ordinance includes a list containing hundreds of regional products as well as an application form; it may be consulted at http://www.azores.gov.pt/Portal/pt/entidades/vp-draic/textoTabela/Programa_de_Apoio_à_Comercializacao_de_Produtos_Regionais.htm.