The main priorities are increasing water resilience and waste management, but the more than 155 million euros of European funds that AMAL – Comunidade Intermunicipal do Algarve will manage until 2027, destined for the region's Chambers, will also serve to co-finance works and projects in the areas of education, mobility and risk prevention, among others.
The allocation of this amount to interventions promoted by local authorities was consecrated on Tuesday, August 6th, in the former Civil Government of Faro, with the signing of the Contract for Development and Territorial Cohesion, in a session attended by Hélder Reis, Secretary of State for Planning and Regional Development.
The contract, signed between the Management Authority of the Algarve Regional Program 2021-2027 (Algarve 2030), a structure integrated into the Algarve CCDR, and AMAL, has an allocation of 155,2 million euros, divided between 152,1 million from the ERDF and 3,1 million from the European Social Fund and “promotes the reinforcement of cohesion policy through multi-level governance”, according to the intermunicipal community.
This package of European funds is intended to co-finance works and projects that are included in an action plan drawn up by the 16 municipalities of the Algarve, which identifies investment priorities in the region, from the point of view of the local authorities.
«We did our homework, following a challenge launched by the CCDR to all mayors, so that they could identify investment priorities and the main needs of the region», revealed António Pina, president of AMAL, during the signing session of the contract, adding that the preparation of the action plan had the support of the University of Algarve.
«This means that the investments that are in the contract are those that the region really needs and not those that someone [from outside the region] thought were what we needed», he added.
José Apolinário, president of the Steering Committee of the Algarve 2030 Management Authority, reinforced, in the session, the importance of the joint work that was done in the region for the “design” of the Algarve 2030 Regional Program, which involved not only local authorities, but many other entities, but left a warning: «We all have a huge challenge ahead of us, which is knowing how to continue working together and mobilizing efforts to be able to take advantage of and execute all the European funds that this program brings to the region».
Of the 155 million euros, the largest share, around a third of the total, goes to investments related to the water cycle and waste collection.
In the first case, around 37 million euros are allocated to the specific objective “Promoting access to water and sustainable water management” – 20,7 million for water supply and 16,2 million for wastewater sanitation.
According to António Pina, projects are at stake «in the area of reducing losses», but also «to reduce saline intrusion», taking into account that this is a phenomenon that often prevents the reuse of treated wastewater.
At issue are the infiltrations that exist in systems close to the sea, in which seawater enters the effluents that will be treated. This means that the water treated in the WWTP has «a higher salinity level than can be used for green spaces and agriculture»
Next, in terms of volume of funds allocated, comes the axis “Promoting the transition to a circular economy and efficient use of resources”, with around 27 thousand euros for waste management.
What is at stake here is the “waste management problem” that exists in the region. Currently, «it is Algar who is responsible for collecting differentiated waste», however, in the summer period, there are many containers «plastic, glass, cardboard, uncollected».
«Of course, we understand that this problem has also worsened with the privatization [of Algar] and, therefore, the proposal from the municipalities, already in the previous Government and we will also reinforce it for this one, is that we be able to take on more responsibilities in this area and, to that end, we have the ability to finance new differentiated waste collection trucks», replacing Algar.
Next, in terms of investment volume, are Civil Protection and Integrated Risk Management (16,8 million), Sustainable Mobility (15,6 million) and School Infrastructures (13 million). There are also 3 million allocated to primary health care infrastructures.
Adaptation to Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, Nature Conservation, Biodiversity and Natural Heritage, Digitalization of Local Administration, Lifelong Learning, Access to Quality Services are other areas where interventions are planned.
Taking advantage of the presence of a member of the government in the room, António Pina asked for changes to the system that is currently installed, particularly in relation to the release of notices, so that it is less centralized and more adapted to the specific realities of the regions.
He also advocated that there be a positive differentiation in relation to projects and investments that may arise outside the tourism area, in the Algarve, «because, otherwise, we will never be able to diversify our economy».
Without committing to answers to the AMAL president's challenges, the Secretary of State for Planning and Regional Development praised the action plan, highlighting, however, that «the important thing is to effectively execute the investments, maximizing the return, and bring good projects and results for the region. Our goal is always to improve the standard of living and well-being of the populations we serve».
The first seven competitions aimed at municipalities in the Algarve, associated with the action plan developed by AMAL, whose operationalization was enshrined with the signing of the contract between the Algarve 2030 management authority and the Algarve intermunicipal community, have already been launched.
The notices that were opened, with a total value of 52 million euros, refer to interventions in seven areas, namely “School Infrastructures”, “Primary health care infrastructures and equipment”, “Ciclo Urbano da Água em Baixa” , “Valuation of Cultural Heritage”, “Adaptation to Climate Change”, “Regional and Urban/Municipal Cycle Paths”, “Conservation of nature, biodiversity and natural heritage”.
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