Background information

Council of Ministers Resolution 73 -B/2022 of 29 August 2022 declared a situation of calamity in the municipalities of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park (PNSE) for a period of one year, to restore normality in the respective geographical area as a result of the damage caused by the rural fires in August 2022, having also highlighted, due to the extent of the significant impact on regions in the north and centre of the country.

In turn, Council of Ministers Resolution 83/2022 of 27 September 2022 recognised the urgency of implementing extraordinary action and support measures aimed at, on the one hand, emergency social and economic support for populations, businesses and municipalities and, on the other hand, to increasing the resilience and competitiveness of the affected territories. These measures include the creation of a specific line of support under the Transforming programme with the aim of enhancing the cultural and natural resources of inland territories and strengthening economic and social cohesion.

Ordinance 14/2022 of 18 October 2022 determined the opening, under the Transforming Tourism Programme, of the specific competition Regenerating and Valorising Territories - Fires 2022.

Content of measure

The amount available to finance operations under the support line Regenerating and Valorising Territories - Fires 2022 is €2 million, which is covered exclusively by Turismo de Portugal, I. P.'s own revenue. Beneficiaries are public entities as well as associative organisations, as long as they pursue activities related or connected to tourism.

This Order shall apply to projects developed as a network which have as their object the the development of tourism products or projects under the Transforming Tourism Programme in its two lines of support: Regenerating Territories and Intelligent Territories. Also eligible are projects developed as a network that result in actions for the prevention and mitigation of the potential risk and severity of rural fires in tourist areas, with the aim of making the territory more resilient, reducing incidents and regenerating and revitalising ecosystems and communities upon which tourism depends.

The financial support is fully non-refundable, and corresponds to 90% of the value of the project's eligible expenses. The maximum limit for the support is €400,000 per project or per organisation in the case of a joint application.

Use of measure

According to a Government's press release dated of 8 July 2023, contracts have already been signed for the first eight projects supported under the line - Regenerating and Valorising Territories - Fires 2022, corresponding to a total investment of € 4.5 million and an overall incentive of € 3.8 million.

Gouveia, Manteigas, Celorico da Beira, Covilhã, Guarda, Seia, Alvaiázere, Ansião and Ourém are the municipalities covered.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Social partners were not involved.

Views and reactions

Views of social partners on the measure are not known.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 18 October 2022: Despacho Normativo14/2022 (diariodarepublica.pt)
• 08 July 2023: Government Press Release - Aprovados 4,5M€ para turismo nos concelhos da Serra da Estrela, Sicó e Agroal (www.portugal.gov.pt)