The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations defended mobilisation, combativeness and a "single voice" towards the defence of EU funds for the Azores in the upcoming negotiations of the Multiannual Financial Framework of the European Union after 2020.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke Monday in Ponta Delgada at the end of a hearing at the Committee on Economic Affairs of the Legislative Assembly requested by the Government of the Azores. He emphasised the importance of this new phase during which the position of the European Commission and its proposal must be modified "to avert the announced cuts."
 
The hearing addressed the process carried out by the Regional Government in the context of national and Community negotiations with a view to defining the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework after 2020. According to the government official, what is at stake is the fact that there has been "a cut in the Cohesion Policy for Portugal" as well as "a cut in the Common Agricultural Policy, namely in POSEI."
 
"We came here to say that we do not accept these cuts and we have already informed the respective Member State - Portugal - which, evidently, has already taken a position on not accepting these cuts," said Rui Bettencourt. He stressed that this "situation calls into question not only the funding needs we have in the Region and in our policies," but also "jeopardises the European project itself."
 
For the government official, this situation deserves "a very special attention" and the mobilisation of all regional and national political forces "as the situation is of great interest to the Region and everything will be decided in the coming weeks."
 
The Regional Secretary considered that the current situation is "very important" at a stage of negotiations between EU Member States and the decisions of the European Council and Parliament. This process follows the European Commission's presentation of a budget proposal as well as of a proposal for the distribution of funds among several policies, including the Common Agricultural Policy and the Cohesion Policy. Moreover, this EU body has presented a proposal for a number of programmes directly managed by the Commission and respective the regulations on these policies.