People's Party CDS-PP

Parliamentary Group

Assembly of the Republic-Palace of S. Bento-1249-068 Lisbon-Phone: 21391 9233-Fax: 21391 7456 Email: gp_pp@pp. parliamento.pt

Parliamentary Appraisal n. 77 /X

Decree-Law No. 66/2008 of April 9, 2008 regulating the allocation of a social allowance of

mobility to resident citizens and students, in the framework of air services between the

Continent and the Autonomous Region of Madeira

1. The Government, with the approval of the Decree-Law nº66/2008, propose to liberalize air transport between the

Continent and the Madeira.

2. This Decree-Law adopts mechanisms compatible with a competitive regime, which pass through the

liberalization of air tariff prices, without prejudice to the maintenance, at a transitional stage, of aid to the

mobility of resident and student passengers, substantiated in the allocation of a fixed allowance to the

Same, with a view to softening the initial impact of this liberalization.

3. This new model of aid for resident and student passengers, as it sets out the exhibition of

grounds of this Decree-Law, is based on the following characteristics: fixed-value allowance, per journey between the

continent and the Autonomous Region of Madeira, provided that the tariffs used by residents and students

be superior to that value; liberalization of passenger air fares, putting an end to the maximum values

to be paid by the residents and students currently set; annual review of the value of the grant depending on the

behaviour of the tariffs; allocation of the retrospective allowance, directly to the beneficiaries, owing to these

to require it to the public entity selected by the Government to make payment, upon proof of the

eligibility, passing the air carriers receivable the value of the fare per whole, without deduction from the

amount of this allowance.

4. Being the liberalisation, in the broad sense, good news for whom it regularly uses air links

between the Mainland and Madeira, the truth is that the model of liberalisation chosen by the Government is

deeply aggrieved for the Madeirers.

2

5. Example of this is, for example, the fact of this liberalisation: i) putting an end to the public service obligations of TAP;

ii) keep the allowance at the price of tickets, although in moulds and amounts other than the current ones, but end

with the student tariff; iii) guarantees the "mobility aid" of the residents in the Region " at a stage

transitional ", which, indicate that in future the State may cease to subsidise these voyages; iv) obligate the

users to pay the entirety of the ticket and to wait for reimbursement of the percentage covered by the State.

6. Thus, the CDS understands that the liberalization of the air market between the Mainland and Madeira is expected to acautelate

rules that defend the residents in Madeira, in a contractualised liberalisation, guaranteeing, in the first

place, an effective reduction in prices as well as the maintenance of the student fare.

In these terms, and under the provisions of Article 162º (c) and in Article 169º, both of the Constitution of the

Portuguese Republic, and of the provisions of Article 189º of the Rules of the Assembly of the Republic, Deputies

below signed, from the CDS Parliamentary Group-People's Party, come to apply for Parliamentary Appreciation,

with a view to its amendment, of the Decree-Law No. 66/2008 of April 9.

Palace of S. Bento, April 18, 2008

The Deputies of the CDS-PP,