The Vice-President of the Government of the Azores said today in Horta that raising the awareness of the population for the importance of buying Azorean products in the Region's economic development is a "duty of all."

Sérgio Ávila spoke on the sidelines of a meeting with the Board of the Horta Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Faial businesspeople for the dissemination of Programme to Support Restaurants and Hotels in the Purchase of Regional Products.

According to the Vice-President, this programme, which entered into force on June 15, aims to support the hotel and restaurant sector and simultaneously promote regional production.

With this measure, the Government not only supports companies in the hotel and restaurant sector, which will benefit from "additional support to their activity," but also reduces costs, reinforces their competitiveness and stimulates the purchase of regional products.

For Sérgio Ávila, the aim is to create the conditions "to allow companies to purchase Azorean products at cheaper prices," which will stimulate the "production and consumption" of local products.

The Programme to Support Restaurants and Hotels in the Purchase of Regional Products provides the allocation of support to restaurants and hotels for the acquisition of regional products up to an annual maximum of 5,000 Euros per establishment and 15,000 Euros per company.

The amount of financial support, awarded in the form of a non-repayable subsidy, corresponds to 10 percent of the amount for the purchase of regional products. This programme increases the reimbursement rate to 14 percent for certified products: "Protected Geographical Indication - PGI," "Protected Designation of Origin - PDO," "Controlled Designation of Origin - CDO" or "Azores Handicrafts."

All private companies and cooperatives in the hotel and restaurant sectors or providing similar services may apply for this programme approved by Ordinance no.33/2013.