The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations defended in Brussels the mobilisation and contribution of the Azoreans residing in the Belgian capital to defend the interests of the Azores in the European Union.

"The Azores, profoundly pro-European, have the mission to play a relevant role during the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union," stressed Rui Bettencourt, who spoke Wednesday at the end of a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for European Affairs.

Rui Bettencourt noted that "the Azores will hold the Presidency of the Outermost Regions during 2021 with an agenda focused on the importance of these European regions in the construction of the European Union."

“The Azores bring to Portugal and the European Union a reality that needs to be enhanced, given their extraordinary maritime tailoring, their unique geostrategic position and the emergence of new areas of development, such as Space and the Blue Economy. Furthermore, they maintain an important economic activity in agriculture, fisheries and tourism, being at the forefront of several policies, namely the energy transition, with a very high rate of penetration rate of renewable energy sources,” stressed the government official.

According to him, “it should be emphasised that, as regards the issues under debate at European level, the Azores face many of the challenges that the European Union also faces," pointing out, in this regard, "the territorial, social and economic cohesion, sustainable development, citizens' mobility and quality of life.”

"Therefore, the Azores intend to show the country and the European Union the reality of the Azores as an outermost and autonomous region, with all its weaknesses but also with strengths and strong dynamics," stressed Rui Bettencourt.

This meeting, attended by the majority of the Secretaries of State of the National Government, addressed the preparation of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union, which will take place in the first semester of 2021. In addition, the matters related to European current affairs, such as the "Brexit" and the negotiations on the future relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union, were also under analysis.

The mission of the Inter-Ministerial Commission for European Affairs, which operates within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is to ensure technical and political coordination between the various ministries and governing bodies of the Autonomous Regions, with a view to establishing conciliated guidelines and defining Portuguese positions with the different institutions of the European Union.