The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations reiterated in Ponta Delgada the Regional Government's "strong attention" to the future of Community policies for youth, qualification and development.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke to journalists at the end of an audience granted by the President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro, to the Head of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, Dana Spinant, and the Head of the Outermost Regions Unit, Paula Gaspar. On the occasion, he stressed that this meeting intended to analyse "the strategies for the future of the Azores in the European Union."
 
"In fact, these strategies support progress and development," the government official said, stressing that the strategies for the qualification of young people are "very important" at both Community and regional levels as "they mainly involve people."
 
For the Regional Secretary, the current situation of the European Union and the ongoing negotiations on the Financial Framework for 2021-2027 "are at a very interesting and important moment" as this will also be "a significant financial framework for its strategies."
 
"In the development of this project for the Azores as an Outermost Region of the European Union, we have also considered the significant relevance of the sea as well as space and the necessary qualifications for these activities," added Rui Bettencourt.
 
Additionally, the meeting was an opportunity to "exchange views on the Azores of today given the development of tourism and the importance of agriculture." This debate also focused on "what the Azores of today represent as an Outermost Region," which goes beyond its weaknesses recognised by Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
 
"There is a need to raise awareness that the Azores also bring potential and add a dimension to the European Union that must be emphasised and taken into account in coming times," said the Regional Secretary.