The new Incentive Program for the Development of Handicrafts provided in the Regional Legislative Decree No. 34/2012/A, July 25th and regulated by the Regional Regulatory Decree No. 1/2013/A, dated February 27th, provides the granting of not refundable subsidies and aims to promote the sustainable development of artisanal activity within the regional economy, and the support to be received is assigned under Regulation (EC) No. 1998/2006, of the Commission, of December 15th 2006, in relation to the application of article No. 87 and No. 88 of the Treaty to de minimis aid, published in the Official Journal of the European Union L 379 of December 28th 2006.
With this regulation, the Regional Government of the Azores implements one of the measures foreseen in the Agenda for Job Creation and Business Competitiveness, concluding the review of SIDART.
The review of the regime was due to the need to address regional disparities through mobility, internationalization, promotion, protection and affirmation of identity “Artesanato dos Açores”, the public training and professionalization of artisanal supply, taking into account the respective representativeness and quality, inherent.
Enhancing the quality of production and competitiveness of the handicraft businesses of the Azores, while at the same time it meets structural changes resulting from the creation of the Craftsman Status and Craft Production Unit, are other goals that the Regional Secretariat for Youth, Professional Qualification and Employment want to achieve.
Incentives vary between a minimum of 200.00 euros and a maximum of 20,000 euros, non-refundable, up to 50% of the expenditure eligible in the case of applications from the islands of S. Miguel and Terceira and up to 60% in the rest of the islands of the archipelago (Santa Maria, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico, Faial, Flores and Corvo).
May benefit from the incentives provided, people who individually or in partnership, with or without commercial nature, develop a craft activity and Associations of Artisans that promote craft activities.
Are likely to receive incentives, within the SIDART, projects in the fields of: Training;
Promotion of the craft sector projects, such as participation in trade fairs or exhibitions; Investment projects in the Craft Production Units and qualification and innovation projects for craft products.