The Monitoring Committee of PRORURAL and PRORURAL+ will meet Thursday and Friday, respectively, in Angra do Heroísmo to analyse the implementation of the previous Rural Development Programme and the implementation of that currently in force in the Azores.

Created for each Rural Development Programme after approval by the European Commission, these monitoring committees are in charge of certifying the effectiveness of the implementation of these programmes in the Region, being consulted on the selection criteria regarding the operations eligible for funding.

Moreover, these bodies also evaluate the implementation results on a periodical basis to verify its compliance with the stipulated goals for each axis and carry out a previous analysis of the annual report submitted to the European Commission. They can also propose to the Managing Authority any adjustment or revision of the programme under the goals of EAFRD - European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

The 9th Monitoring Committee of PRORURAL, which was in force in the previous financial programming period, meets Thursday to analyse the programme's performance in 2014 and its implementation by April 30 this year.

On Friday, the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and the Environment, Luís Neto Viveiros presides over the opening session of the 1st Monitoring Committee of PRORURAL+, approved by the European Commission for the period 2014-2020.

At this meeting, the Monitoring Committee of PRORURAL+ should approve the selection criteria of the measures and sub-measures of the new programme.

The two meetings will be attended by the Regional Director for Rural Development, Fátima Amorim, as Management Authority, as well as by several departments of the Regional Government and representatives of other bodies: European Commission, Agricultural Federation, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores, Aflorestaçores, departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Sea, IFAP, and general inspections of Finance and Agriculture.

Furthermore, these events will include the participation of Local Actions Groups, the University of the Azores, Minha Terra Federation, UMAR - Association for Equality and Women's Rights, Regional Wine Commission of the Azores, Amigos dos Açores Ecological Association, Azorica - Environmental Defence Association and the Managing Authority of PO2020.