The Formentera Office of Entrepreneurship has announced that ten islanders can take part in a training programme in socio-health care with a commitment to hire. Islanders who complete the source can obtain the SSCS0208 level 2 Certificate of Professionalism. The course will be held from March to June.

Interested parties have until 28 February to register on the SOIB website.

This training is subsidised by the training and employment division of the Balearic Employment Office (Servei d'Ocupació de les Illes Balears, SOIB) and is part of the 'Certificate of Professionalism' programme.

22 February 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Today Ana Juan, President of the Consell de Formentera, and Josep Marí Ribas, Balearic Minister of Mobility and Housing and President of the Balearic Housing Institute (IBAVI), signed a deal providing islanders with support on issues related to housing. Also in attendance were Rafael Ramírez, Councillor of Housing, and IBAVI Managing Director Cristina Ballester.

According to President Juan, this service is "an important step in helping islanders in need of social, technical or legal support". "It is imperative that we promote public policies like the Balearic Housing Act and initiatives like the one we have signed today to offer solutions to people on Formentera who need housing", she added.

Mr Marí pointed out that the Housing Act, still under development, aims to "put people within reach of free guidance and support in terms of access to housing. This is happening thanks to inter-agency collaboration to guarantee that the people of Formentera have personalised and efficient support and so they can exercise their right to housing".

The service will provide social and, where appropriate, specialised legal and technical support around:

-Difficulties paying for and/or loss of current housing (debt, restructuring mortgage debt, non-default or delays on mortgage/rent payments, and payment in kind for principal residences)
-Pre-contractual obligations and abusive clauses in financing, leasing or purchase/sale of housing, with case referral to proper authorities.
-Renting or buying a home
-Information on existing housing assistance
-Supporting, advising and managing maintenance of basic utilities
-Housing-related financing

The four-year agreement may be annually extended up to four years.

Support services must be enacted within six months from the signing of the collaboration agreement.

21 February 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Today Ana Juan, President of the Consell de Formentera, was visited by Manuel Szapiro, Director of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands' delegation in the European Commission, and Rosario Sánchez, Balearic Minister of Finance and External Relations, to present the EC's working programme and priorities in 2022.

During the meeting President Juan pointed out that the EC representative "had experienced triple insularity first-hand" on his journey to Formentera, and insisted, "It is very important to take into account just what that means when asking for EU funding". The President praised the EC's work over the last two years, "during which it has "worked efficiently to deploy EU funding for economic recovery". Juan also spoke to problems around heavy maritime traffic during the tourist season, the importance of safeguarding posidonia seagrass, and progress on the path toward the energy and digital transition.

Szapiro, for his part, gave a review of EC priorities and working plan for 2022 and highlighted "the opportunities they offer for the Balearic Islands in key issues at the European level". He also assured he would "relay islanders' concerns in Brussels", described the encounter as "very productive" and held up other topics of discussion like "decarbonising maritime connections, sustainable tourism projects and the circular economy.

Minister Sánchez said that starting the tour of the islands on Formentera was "a good way to spotlight the problems of triple and double insularity", and affirmed that the regional government was "working to articulate and cement the concept of Mediterranean insularity in order to develop an EU strategy on island territories" that was "place-specific".

Other attendees of the meeting were Alejandra Ferrer, Vice President and Councillor for Tourism; Bartomeu Escandell, Councillor of Finance; Antoni Vicens, the Balearic government's General Director of External Relations, and Yolanda Vega of Centre Balears Europa. The visit ended with a tour of La Mola lighthouse which was restored as a museum with EU funds.

10 February 2022
Communications Office
Consell Insular de Formentera

Today Ana Juan, President of the Consell, received Andreu Ferrer, the man who last Friday assumed office as Formentera's new justice of the peace. The President congratulated the judge and wished him many successes. President Juan also showed her willingness to collaborate to ensure islanders receive the best possible year-round Justice of the Peace service.

8 February 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera