The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations met in Ponta Delgada with MEP Sofia Ribeiro. The meeting addressed various matters regarding the Azorean participation in EU matters, including the establishment of Azorean representation in Brussels and the Forum of the Outermost Regions, held in late March in the Belgian capital.
 
Speaking after the meeting, Rui Bettencourt expressed his satisfaction, noting that it "joins the actions" of the Regional Government and Parliament so that "the interests of Azoreans are defended in Brussels in the best way possible." In this context, he restated the intention to involve all the forces of the Azores in the two initiatives planned for 2017.
 
"The idea is to see, on the one hand, what different partners expect from the performance of the Regional Government and, on the other hand, encourage the Regional Government to join efforts and coordinate actions so that we may become more efficient in our public performance," said the Regional Secretary. The government official spoke at the end of this meeting, which was also attended by the Regional Director for European Affairs, Célia Azevedo.
 
For Rui Bettencourt, "these efforts promote cooperation and dialogue between all Azoreans who have a voice" so that they may "defend the Azores and their interests" and, according to him, "the coordination of efforts should be made and is ongoing."
 
This round of meetings, which began with two Azoreans MEPs, also includes meetings with the Agricultural and Fisheries Federations, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores and the University of the Azores, among others.