The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations highlighted in Brussels the “significant consensus” reached at the meeting of Presidents of the Outermost Regions of the European Union in which he took part on behalf of the President of the Government of the Azores.
 
“This series of meetings taking place in Brussels falls under a very important logic,” said Rui Bettencourt. In this regard, he stressed the fact that a new institutional cycle is beginning in the European Commission, but also in the European Parliament and the European Council, at a time when the next steps and the Financial Framework 2021/2027 are being decided.
 
“In the face of all these events, which represent a very important moment for the Azores and for all Outermost Regions, we reached a significant consensus today so that we can have a strong joint position before the European Parliament, the European Commission and before the European Council," stressed the government official.
 
The Secretary for External Relations also expressed his satisfaction that the joint position taken by the Outermost Regions resulted from the Azorean position.
 
“The Regional Government has insisted with a very firm position on opposing the cuts proposed by the European Commission for the Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and for POSEI. Moreover, it has rejected the co-financing rate proposed by the Commission to reduce from 85 to 70%, i.e., the regional effort would have to increase from 15 to 30%," said the Regional Secretary.
 
For Rui Bettencourt, this consensus has "great significance" and will strengthen the Azores and the other Outermost Regions in view of the forthcoming negotiations and decisions with the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Member States - Portugal, Spain and France - with which the Presidents of the Outermost Regions will meet Tuesday.
 
The Regional Secretary also highlighted “a joint position based on this consensus.” It is in line with what the Azores have been advocating for a long time, which is the next European territorial cooperation programme.
 
"It has to be a programme that involves the Outermost Regions as a whole" and concerns common projects, said Rui Bettencourt.
 
"We saw that there were at least two common issues, which concern transport, on the one hand, and the sea, on the other hand. In this context, we have already heard social partners and the Azorean civil society internally," said the government official.
 
"These are two aspects in which the Outermost Regions can involve as a whole, so all this has been decided with a joint position that strengthens the Azores' position and that of the Outermost Regions," said Rui Bettencourt. According to him, it was “a very pleasant moment to work,” which is expected to be "productive" in the forthcoming meetings.