The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs presented today the proposal for a Regional Legislative Decree establishing the Economic and Social Council of the Autonomous Region of the Azores at the Committee on the Committee on Parliamentary, Environmental and Labour Affairs.
 
"This proposal takes shape under the terms of the Political-Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of the Azores and embodies a series of proposals submitted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores, the Azores Agricultural Federation and the General Union of Workers - UGT Açores. It is the result of a process of dialogue and concertation between these partners and the Azorean Government," said Berto Messias.
 
In this regard, the Regional Secretary emphasised that "the result of this process, whether in the fulfilment of the statutory mandate or in the partnership with the aforementioned social partners, is a proposal that reinforces the autonomy of the Economic and Social Council while ensuring a broad representation of the Azorean society and its institutions."
 
"This Council is an independent collegial advisory body that monitors self-governing bodies in economic, labour, social and environmental matters," the government official said, adding that "it will be chaired by a person elected by the Legislative Assembly, two-thirds majority, which will always require a multi-party agreement on the election."
 
Berto Messias also said the new Council will be composed of four members of the Regional Government to be appointed by the President, eight representatives of workers, eight representatives of employers' organisations, three representatives of local authorities, two representatives of private social solidarity institutions, one representative of consumer protection associations, one representative of environmental associations, two representatives of the cooperative sector and on representative of associations in the area of equal opportunities for women and men.
 
Furthermore, the Council also includes one representative of the University of the Azores, one representative of Azorean youth to be appointed by the Azores Youth Council, representatives of the Region in the Economic and Social Council, and three personalities of recognised merit in the areas of competence of the Council to be appointed by the Council itself on proposal of its President.
 
Regarding the representation of workers, Berto Messias stated that "it was not possible to accept the proposal of the Chamber of Commerce, the Azores Agricultural Federation and UGT, which wanted the workers' representation to be exclusive to UGT and CGTP trade unions. The Government has decided that, in addition to these member, it would also include non-affiliated trade union organisations and fishers' unions."