The President of the Government of the Azores called the European Union for the need to correct the lack of references to the Cohesion Policy and the co-financing rates of Structural Funds for investments in Outermost Regions in its new strategy for Outermost Regions.
 
"We are surprised by the absence of clear references to the Cohesion Policy for the ORs and the differentiated co-financing rates for these regions as well as to ERDF and ESF Structural Funds," said Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government spoke in Ponta Delgada at the opening session of the conference "The Azorean Society and the Cohesion Policy Post 2020."
 
Regarding the recent Communication "A Reinforced and Renewed Strategic Partnership with Outermost Regions of the European Union," Vasco Cordeiro says it would be expected that the Junker Commission would clearly reiterate certain core principles of Community policy for these regions, such as the role of Cohesion Policy in overcoming the specific and structural difficulties they face.
 
It should be recalled that the previous Communication, dating from 2012, proposed that Outermost Regions should benefit from a specific treatment to help them make the best use of available investment funds as well as from a co-financing rate of 85 percent, regardless the GDP of each Outermost Region.
 
"This omission may have been unconscious. However, this is particularly worrying if it has been conscious and purposeful, which cannot go and should go blank. We believe it should be corrected in the remaining legislative steps that are now beginning," defended the President of the Government.
 
In his speech delivered at the opening of this conference, Vasco Cordeiro defended that it is time to fight for a strong, bold and inclusive Cohesion Policy that combines solidarity and economic development. It should be also structuring factor in the action of the European Commission, Member States and Regions.
 
Regarding the Commission's new strategy for the ORs, the President of the Government added that it will move forward with a proposal for a new governance model. While regarded as positive in terms of a greater involvement of Member States and the Commission itself, the model should not interfere with the powers assigned to regional entities in Outermost Regions.
 
As for Agriculture, the positive references recently concerning POSEI in the Commission's evaluation report should correspond to a "clear, unequivocal and firm commitment to the financial improvement of this support mechanism for agriculture and rural affairs in ORs," defended Vasco Cordeiro. In this context, he recalled that regions like the Azores were affected by Community decisions, such as the end of the milk quota system.
 
"A positive assessment on our part is the defence of the need to finance activities carried out in the areas of Fisheries and the Sea, including a compensation system for sustainable fishing, the maintenance of the exclusive use of 100 miles and the necessary conditions for the implementation of the sea economy," said the government official. 
 
In his speech, Vasco Cordeiro also pointed out that the Azores are not just a small outermost region calling for a strong Cohesion Policy. They are an asset for Europe. In this regard, he highlighted several relevant areas, such as the sea, renewable energies and the sustainability of the regional development process.
 
This conference, attended by representatives of the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee, is the third held under the process to involve the Azorean society in the definition of the Cohesion Policy after 2020. Promoted by the Government of the Azores, this conference was focused on a European approach while the first two addressed the regional and national situation.