Regional Government defends fisheries and reiterates firm opposition to milk quotas dismantling
The Regional Secretary of the Presidency said today that “it is imperative to reserve the Exclusive Economic Zones adjacent to the Outermost Regions for local fleets as the only way to ensure the continuity of our fishing sector.”
André Bradford spoke on behalf of the President of the Government of the Azores and addressed at the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Pawel Samecka, adding that “allowing the continuity of the support to the renewal of the ORs’ fishing fleet is essential in order to provide opportunities to modernise the working conditions of those who work at sea.”
The establishment of an Advisory Council for the Outermost Regions, “so that our fishing sectors may have an active intervention in the management of the resources within the ORs’ waters,” was also defended by the Regional Government during the Partnership Session which marked the end of the 15th Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions of the European Union.
Enhancing the potential and geostrategic environment of the ORs – the outposts of the European Union, as he named them – was another idea proposed by André Bradford to whom the modernisation of the EU budget should identify new challenges, ending the inertia that impedes change.” In addition, the Regional Secretary pointed out the necessity of deepening the cohesion within the European Union.
Stressing that “it is by no mere whim that the Outermost Regions work to obtain waivers and funds” which will enable their development, André Bradford considered the importance of assessing the impact on the different sectoral measures, the new measures or the existing ones, taking into account the ORs’ specific situation.
Hence, he regretted that are no references to the ORs in the Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, which should not be centralised and based on the use of predatory fishing methods that destroy the fragile ecosystems and the marine resources.
Furthermore, the Secretary of the Presidency addressed the issue regarding the end of the milk quota system starting in the 2014/2015 campaign, reiterating the firm opposition of the Azores to the announced measure.
Remembering that the Azorean milk producers will be those who will suffer the most, André Bradford stated that “it is essential to establish a financial support to be distributed among the Azorean milk producers in order to reduce the negative impact if there is not any possibility to maintain an exception scheme on this issue for the ORs.”
André Bradford focused on the problem concerning carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, stressing the necessity of a rigorous assessment of the impact on the ORs regarding the application of the Directive that includes the civil aviation sector under the greenhouse gas emission trading system in order to propose changes that reduce the negative effects of that application in the ORs.