The President of the Government of the Azores defended on Thursday the need for the European Union to claim “its diversity, identity and entrepreneur centres through the Regions and the reinforcement of their powers.”

According to Carlos César, this must be achieved in addition to the strengthening of the effectiveness of the main institutions of EU governance – which “will happen to the detriment of the central powers of the Member States which will disappear and hinder each other” - by allowing the European Peripheral Maritime Regions to effectively meet the enormous challenges that they have to face in their common area at the present moment.

Speaking at the opening session of the 30th Annual Meeting of the Islands Commission of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe, the President of the Government alluded to the introduction, through the Treaty of Lisbon, of the concept of territorial cohesion as a goal of the European Union, and said that it was essential to provide “specific responses to different problems, thus ensuring a greater equality of opportunities.”

Carlos César pointed out that an improved understanding of the realities on the part of European decision-making institutions will enable the assessment of the impact of Community legislation on the islands and defended the “establishment of links with other territories, through the exchanges of good practices and the implementation of joint projects, not only from within the Union, but also from third countries.”

For the President of the Government, the Peripheral Maritime Regions (RPM) will now be able to defend their specific interests. He expects that the meeting taking place in Ponta Delgada “may favour the creation of a common feeling that raises the awareness of European institutions for the territorial diversity of the European Union.”

Highlighting the asset of the Azores in this context – an exclusive economic zone of over 950 000 square kilometres – which has not received the necessary attention from the European Union concerning its preservation and sustainability, Carlos César mentioned some sectors in which the Azores have become an example to follow, particularly with regard to environmental preservation and the use renewable sources for electricity production.

“But in all these and other areas where we are - and we can be even more - an example and an asset for Europe, we have always sought to achieve the same, to do more, to work better, with more determination and effectiveness than in Mainland Europe,” stated Carlos César.

The President of the Regional Government points out, therefore, the need to increase the support to the PMRs so that these support measure may have the same effects as in mainland Europe.

“We must improve our communication because we are still outside the continuous territorial platform, and we must make ourselves heard louder because we far away from the decision centres,” concluded Carlos César.

The 30th Annual Meeting of the Islands Commission of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe held in Ponta Delgada at the invitation of President of the Government of the Azores – under the programme of the “European Region of the Year 2010” - brings together about fifty participants to the from European insular regions, institutions and bodies.