The Committee of the Regions recommended the European Union, on proposal of the Government of the Azores, to revise and improve the conditions for the application of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) in Outermost Regions in terms of eligibility, co-financing rates and intensity of aid.
 
The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations spoke in Brussels after the voting on the Committee of the Regions' opinion on "Beyond 2020: Supporting Europe's Coastal Communities." On the occasion, he welcomed the adoption of the proposal, considering of "great relevance" for the Azores and Outermost Regions (ORs).
 
According to Rui Bettencourt, the specific situation of Outermost Regions must receive "particular attention" under the next EMFF regulation.
 
The proposal now approved also requires increased support for the plans to compensate the additional costs of fishery and aquaculture products in Outermost Regions. According to it, they should be guided by "rules similar to the support granted to the agricultural sector," thus contributing to the economic viability of operators in these regions.
 
On proposal of the Azores, the Committee of the Regions has also approved other amendments proposed by the Regional Government, namely the opinion on the "Mid-term Revision of the EU Strategy for Forests."
 
Regarding this particular opinion, the Azorean Government proposed "special attention" to the support for the economic development of agents in the forestry sector of Outermost Region, which is still "incipient." Therefore, it considers that the EU forest strategy "should identify opportunities and comparative advantages over which each OR can build a strategy conducive to more autonomous and more self-sufficient growth."
 
The proposals now approved also include reforestation and forest conversion for forest management. It is known that "natural regeneration processes in some regions may not be sufficient to ensure successful reforestation and it forest conversion may still be necessary."
 
Also in this area, another two proposals submitted by the Azores were approved at the plenary meeting of the Committee of the Regions. They defend the consideration of "regional specificities" towards "a successful long-term strategy" that will turn 90% of European forests into natural or semi-natural forests. Moreover, they also promote "the establishment of new forest areas through public or private initiatives with EU support," taking into account "the non-existence of measures to co-finance these projects in a sustainable manner."
 
Hence, the Azorean Government has managed to introduce amendments to the documents produced by this EU advisory body, drawing attention to the particular case of Outermost Regions and, in this case, to the Azores, both in the fisheries and forest sectors.