The Regional Government signed today in Brussels an agreement aimed at the creation of a Network for Employment for the Outermost Regions of the European Union in order to provide the best response to needs of local labour markets and ensure maximum effectiveness in achieving the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The agreement was signed by the Regional Under Secretary for External Relations, Rodrigo Oliveira, on behalf of the President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro, as well as by the representatives Outermost Regions (ORs) of Madeira, Canary Islands, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Mayotte and Reunion.

"This is undoubtedly an important initiative and its development is faced with the expectation by ORs insofar as it reflects the proactivity of our regions in the area of employment, especially the fight against youth unemployment. This matter is of common interest and was awarded priority status by the ORs," said Rodrigo Oliveira on the sidelines of the ceremony.

The formal establishment of this Network is the result of the coordination work between employment policy-makers in Outermost Regions, which has been developed for some months. The Region is represented by the Regional Director for Employment and Vocational Training, Ilda Baptista, who also spoke during one of the panels of the Forum on Outermost Region that addressed hte issues of employability.

The Network for Employment for Outermost Regions aims to raise the awareness of European institutions for the specificities of Outermost Regions, which should be taken into account in the development of employment policies. It also emerges as joint effort to maximise the resources granted under the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020.

For Rodrigo Oliveira, "the initiative joins efforts between partners with similar characteristics and facing common challenges. In addition to allowing the sharing of experiences, this network aims to define a coordinated strategy and joint actions in the area of employment with the aim to developing projects that will optimise EU resources."

The agreement for the creation of the Employment Network for the Outermost Regions is a response that meets the needs arising from structural and permanent constraints of outermost regions, where the small size of markets and business fabric that main consists of micro and small companies requires the adoption of specific measures by the European Union to promote economic growth.