The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations invited today members of the Legislative Assembly to contribute to the construction of a common regional position by jointly preparing the future of Europe, through a "democratic, effective and transparent" decision-making process.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke at the Parliament in Horta during a debate promoted by the Regional Government on the "The European Union after 2020." On the occasion, he highlighted the political and institutional relevance of a truly Azorean positions on what the Azores want for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework.
 
"We are looking for a concerted position that will project us in our collective future and give us more strength to defend our claims with European institutions and the respective Member State," stated the Secretary for External Relations.
 
"The relevance of this common position is all the more significant as the constraints addressed in the negotiations of the next Multiannual Financial Framework that have shaped the European project," said the government official. In this context, he pointed out the Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and other tools that make up the so-called European Structural and Investment Funds.
 
The Regional Secretary emphasised that the Regional Government defends "what is the essence of the European project itself."
 
"We cannot have Europe without strengthened economic, social and territorial cohesion. We cannot have more jobs, more skills and development and less disparities European territories, if we do not fight for a Cohesion Policy, i.e., the main investment policy in the European Union, in our country and in the Region. It should be a strong and robust policy endowed with the financial resources tailored to generate economic growth and respond to social issues in the most fragile regions as well as to mitigate existing structural differences," said Rui Bettencourt.
 
According to the government official, the Azores, Portugal and Europe must "know that each of our development policies is also part of Europe's development. In this context, he stressed the potential that the Azores bring to the European Union "emphasise its oceanic tailoring as well as its geostrategic position." They should be regarded as positive elements to be taken into consideration by Portugal in forthcoming negotiations."