The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations stated in Horta that the Azores are interested in "all aspects" of the European Maritime Policy.
 
Rodrigo Oliveira spoke at the opening of the conference "Integrated Maritime Policy - assessment and future challenges." The government official stressed that, for this reason, the Azores have fully committed to their participation in its definition from the very beginning, submitting, as early as July 2006, their contribution to the Green Paper.
 
In his speech, he recalled that "10 years ago, on June 25, 2006, the Green Paper on Integrated Maritime Policy was launched in Horta," adding that, since then, "it was possible to draw Europe's attention to the need for a holistic, integrated and comprehensive approach to the Sea."
 
"Maritime Policy has given a new dimension for Portugal and the Azores, in particular. Portugal has shown its commitment to building this European Maritime Policy not only in the active contribution of the Portuguese Sea, i.e., the vast majority of the Azores Sea, but also in the political contribution, namely during the Portuguese presidency of the European Union, which provided an impetus to the development of the Integrated Maritime Policy," said Rodrigo Oliveira.
 
In this context, one of the most important benefits is precisely "to draw attention to the need for a look at the Atlantic, the Sea and Europe's oceans," mentioned the government official. He stressed that the Azores "have participated from the first moment, back in July 2006, with the submission of their contribution to the Green Paper and their work on several consultations, processes, including the Blue Paper, the Action Plan for the Oceans and the Strategy for the Atlantic."
 
Rodrigo Oliveira also stressed "the Azores Sea from the standpoint of its biologic resources, energy resources, mineral resources and as an intersection platform for research and transport projection," emphasising that "all these aspects, from security to data collection, and all areas of the blue economy can find their projection platform in this Atlantic region."
 
Considering that this is the "ideal place" to assess these 10 years, the Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations reiterated that the "Azores have been fully committed" to defining the European Maritime Policy in a joint action with the University of the Azores, all partners, Outermost Regions and European Maritime Regions.
 
"It is not by chance that the Azores are chairing today the Conference of the European Peripheral Maritime Regions, an organisation that brings together 160 European Maritime Regions." In this regard, the government official stressed that "according to the Green Paper, which is the Integrated Maritime Policy, coastal and maritime regions represent about 40% of Europe's wealth."
 
"We are in the Integrated Maritime Policy. We know and we are aware that this is the policy that projects us in Europe. We will continue to be so on an individual basis or in conjunction with the Portuguese State, Outermost Regions and European Peripheral Maritime Regions," assured Rodrigo Oliveira.