The new “Working in the Interior” programme will have local and regional networks to provide financial support to workers, as well as promote training and retraining courses, said the Minister for Territorial Cooperation.
In a parliamentary hearing, Ana Abrunhosa said that the new programme aims to “ensure that the interior is able to attract and retain more and more people”.
With this programme, the government will “create local and regional support networks, to provide financial support to workers, to share costs associated with their travel, to guarantee more speedy access to the labour market and to promote incentives from interior councils to companies and families”, she said.
In addition, “Working in the Interior” will promote training and retraining initiatives for workers, as well as encourage their involvement in identifying training needs.
“We propose that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the interior benefit from a special corporate income tax rate of 12.5 percent for the first €25,000 of taxable income,” she said, noting that currently SMEs in these regions only benefit from this tax rate for the first €15,000.
In addition to this tax benefit, the proposal of the State Budget 2020 suggests “a 20 percent corporate income tax deduction on expenses on job creation with the intention of creating qualified employment in the interior”.
Abrunhosa added that road toll discounts are available for those who live, work and visit interior regions at the weekend.
“We are working on toll discounts for the interior based on quantity discounts and weekend discounts that benefit frequent users, as well as those who wish to visit the interior,” said the Minister.
Without detailing the percentage discounts or deadlines, the minister explained that the proposal to reduce tolls in inland regions is under study, through a working group made up of members of the Ministries of Territorial Cooperation, Infrastructure and Housing, and Finance, which is working on various scenarios for the gradual reduction of tolls.
“We will guarantee a simpler and clearer regime with lower costs for those living in the interior and for those who visit, guaranteeing greater use of infrastructures already built and a reduction in road accidents”.
Ana Abrunhosa explained that this measure should be implemented as soon as possible.