The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations stated in Ponta Delgada that the Regional Government is attentive to the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union and to the implications of an eventual no-deal departure for the Region.
 
"Obviously, there will be an indirect impact of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union because we are part of the European Union and the impact is considerable on Europe as a whole," said Rui Bettencourt. He spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the Interdepartmental Committee on Europeans Affairs and External Cooperation (CIAECE), stressing that "there will be no specific impact on the Azores."
 
For the government official, "there may be some impact, but it will be of little significance as opposite to the impact on the tourism sectors of Madeira and Algarve or even on some national industries."
 
"We will not have this impact here," said Rui Bettencourt.
 
According to him, "special measures will not be necessary" in this case; however, "there may be some adjustments as Brexit becomes effective and the implications arising from this process."
 
"There is nothing special about the Azores," said the government official.
 
The meeting held by CIAECE was attended by several government departments. In addition to Brexit and the Preparedness and Contingency Plan for the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union, it also addressed the Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2021-2027 period at a time when the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council will "enter into dialogue and a three-way debate."
 
For the Regional Secretary, the coming times will be a period of "attention, awareness and influence over Member States," although some doubts remain regarding the next Parliament and the approval of the Financial Framework as the European elections will take place on May 26.
 
"We must be particularly attentive to these situations in coming months, until the end of the year and even until 2020, as these will be moments when we will need to be extremely vigilant and continue to fight so that what has happened in the European Parliament will continue to take effect, both with Member States and the next Parliament," said the government official.
 
Rui Bettencourt recalled the efforts undertaken by the Regional Government in this regard and the various meetings with Member States, European Commissioners and MEPs, thus expressing the "clear and consensual position" of the Region arising from the involvement of the Azorean civil society and the political society.