Lisbon approves amendment to the Social Emergency Fund for families – Observer
The Lisbon City Council unanimously imposed changes to the conditions for access to the Social Emergency Fund (FES), in terms of support for households, a measure that is part of the plan to combat survival in the city.
In a private meeting of the city council executive, the proposal was presented by the councilor for Human and Social Rights, Sofia Athayde (CDS-PP), and provides for the amendment of the FES Familias operating rules, for support beneficiaries who have a monthly income of capita superior to 70% of the guaranteed minimum monthly remuneration (705 euros), “making it possible to consider the deduction of 30%, instead of the current 20%, per member of the household, of the amount of expenses related to rent, purchase of medicines, basic services and provision of food to children and dependents”.
Once approved by the council, the measure has to wait for a vote by the Lisbon Municipal Assembly.
“In order to allow for greater speed in the transfer of guarantees relating to the permanent fund to be granted to each parish council, they must be implemented, after definition and approval of the respective maximum annual total by the municipal council, by mere order of the councilors with the departments of Human and Social Rights and Finance”, reads in the proposal, which does not mention the amount of municipal investment for the implementation of this amendment to FES Familias.
At the initiative of the PCP councillors, the municipal executive took on an amendment to this proposal, determining that, “annually, two reports must be prepared and delivered to the chamber, containing data regarding the execution of the FES, the first by the end of the month June and the second until the end of November”.
The alteration of the conditions of access to FES Família is part of the measures of the plan to combat freedom in the city of Lisbon, resulting from a proposal by the PCP which was later included in the initiative presented by the mayor, Carlos Moedas (PSD) .
On September 22, the Lisbon Chamber accepted 22 measures approved by the President of the Executive, Carlos Moedas (PSD), to combat tolerance, which include proposals from BE, Citizens for Lisbon, Livre and PCP, also making the PS initiative viable.
Among the proposals on the agenda for this meeting, the executive expected the continuation of extraordinary measures to support economic activity in the context of combating the covid-19 pandemic, with the temporary suspension, from January 1 to December 31, 2023 , the payment due for the installation of terraces in parking spaces managed by the Lisbon Municipal Mobility and Parking Company (EMEL).
In February, the municipality of Lisbon expected a set of exceptional and transitional measures to face the impact of the pandemic, including “aimed at supporting the resumption of economic activity by small establishments and micro, small and medium-sized companies, then protected by the effects of the covid-19 pandemic but which, now, are once again weakened by the economic effects of the current economic crisis”.
“In this context, the Lisbon City Council understands that the extraordinary measure approved on 09/02/2022 to support the resumption of the city’s economy should be specifically extended and, specifically, translated into the temporary suspension of the payment due for the occupation of parking space subject to a license for the installation of a terrace or exhibition, to be in force for the year 2023”, reads the proposal, which Lusa had access to.
This proposal still has to be voted on by the Lisbon Municipal Assembly.