Outermost Regions convey to President of the European Council formal position advocating maintenance of co-financing rates
The Presidents of the Outermost Regions have agreed, on Vasco Cordeiro's proposal, to convey to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, a joint formal position advocating the maintenance of Community co-financing rates in the next multiannual financial framework.
This joint position was taken at the meeting of the Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions, which took place by video conference and was attended by the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira. On the occasion, the President of the Government considered that Charles Michel's proposal to reduce co-financing rates from 85 to 80 percent in the 2021-2027 period is “unjustified and unjust."
"We are surprised at the proposal of the President of the European Council envisaging a co-financing rate for the Outermost Regions that is lower than the co-financing rate for the least favoured regions," said Vasco Cordeiro. In this regard, he called on his counterparts of the eight Outermost Regions to take a clear joint position by rejecting the proposal made by the President of the European Council.
At this conference, the President of the Azorean Government also recommended that, in order to face the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to “restore confidence and solidarity through specific and effective responses implemented in our regions."
“In coming days, the Heads of State and Government will have the opportunity to confirm that Europe is following this path,” Vasco Cordeiro stressed, mentioning the European Council. At the end of this week, it will try to reach an agreement on the next Community budget, which includes a 750 billion Euro fund to restore the European economy, following the COVID-19 pandemic.
After stressing that this recovery plan for Europe is a “window of opportunity and hope” for a renewed European Union, the President of the Government restated that it is “essential” that the new multiannual financial framework be effective from January 1, 2020, despite the considerable efforts that it entails for the European Commission, namely in terms of the necessary regulations.
Moreover, Vasco Cordeiro also praised Elisa Ferreira's “commitment and attention,” as Commissioner responsible for cohesion matters, with regard to Outermost Regions and, in the specific case of the Azores, with regard to the allocation of support amounting to 8.2 million Euros from the European Union Solidarity Fund, following the damage caused by Hurricane Lorenzo.
The Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions is a political cooperation structure that brings together the presidents of the executive bodies of the Outermost Regions.
The Regional Government has held the rotating presidency of this body on three occasions, the last of which between 2011 and 2012, the year when the Outermost Regions' meeting took place on the island of Faial and was attended by the then Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn
The Conference Presidency will be held by the Region again from November 2020 for a period of one year.