The government’s Miguel Poiares Maduro announced this step forward at the signing ceremony for the ‘Espaços do Cidadãos,’ mini versions of the 'Loja do Cidadão' system as can be found above the main market in Faro.
The Agency for Administrative Modernisation will oversee the installation of the units across the Algarve in cooperation with local councils, according to Maduro, the Deputy Minister for Regional Development.
A signing ceremony for the first nine units took place last Saturday in Monchique for Alcoutim, Castro Marim, Faro, Lagoa, Lagos, Portimão, Tavira, Vila do Bispo and Lagos.
In these new areas various public services may be accessed and dealt with, for example it will be possible for people to renew various licenses, apply for criminal record statements, and to change the address on their national citizen card.
There is a pilot scheme running in the post office in Portimão and by the end of July the Monchique unit will be operating.
"It is a network that we hope can reach up to 1,000 venues by late 2015," said Maduro, adding that these protocols are due to the "logic of cooperation with the municipalities."
The 23 new units in the Algarve can be up and running in a few months, because it is a "simple model to implement," said the deputy minister, who expects that the remaining seven Algarve municipalities "in the very near future" will sign similar agreements with the Agency for Administrative Modernisation, taking the total number of units to 37.
The investment for the installation of 37 Espaços do Cidadãos is €450,000 and there will be no further investment in the larger Loja do Cidadão system despite positive public opinion of these multi-agency sites.
