The Governments of the Azores and Madeira signed today ten Cooperation Protocols in Angra do Heroísmo, one of which provides for the establishment of a Representative Office of the Autonomous Regions in Brussels, a space that will also be available to Azorean social partners.

With the creation of this Office, both Regional Governments aim to "strengthen the intervention capacity in the interests of both regions, through institutional proximity to the major EU institutions and bodies as well as to other entities, public and private institutions and other representations of States and Regions headquartered in Brussels.”

These protocols were signed at the end of the President of the Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, to the Azores at the invitation of Vasco Cordeiro. The visit covered the islands of São Miguel, Pico, Faial and Terceira.

Under the Protocol on European Affairs, each Government will autonomously decide the form of coordinating this representation with the respective Autonomous Region and choose the staff to the Brussels Office.

In the area of Fisheries, the Government of the Azores and Madeira pledged to create an operational framework so that the vessels registered in each of the Regions for tuna and black scabbard fisheries may comply with the regional legislation on the management of fisheries in the Region and "allow the boarding and overnight stay of watchers on board the respective vessels under the programmes in force in each region."

The protocol also covers the area of aquaculture. In this regard, both Regional Governments took the commitment "to share knowledge in the area of technology and applied research in aquaculture" and to "promote the exchange of experiences, knowledge transfer and strengthening of scientific research between the scientific communities of the two regions."

The promotion of actions aimed at the development of the Viticultural Region of the Azores and the Viticultural Region of Madeira is the goal of another of the protocols signed, which also involves the promotion of technical cooperation among Oenology Laboratories from both regions and the exchange between technicians, wine producers and other economic agents in the industry.

The Governments of the Azores and Madeira also signed today another cooperation protocol which provides for establishment of the Macaronesia Landscape Observatory, taking the commitment to "develop joint institutional contacts" with the Governments of the Republic of Cape Verde and the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands to ensure its implementation.
 
In addition, both Government signed a cooperation protocol in the area of Forest Resources, namely with regard to the experimentation and production of native plants and plant specimens to combat invasive species. In turn, cooperation in the area of Civil Construction area provides for the promotion of exchanges between the Azores and Madeira Civil Engineering Laboratory in the fields of consulting and technical support, technical training and study of endogenous materials.

With regard to Health and Civil Protection, the cooperation now established concerns the organisation, operation and financing of training activities in the two regions in order to "optimise the management efficiency of regional health and civil protection services as well as the qualification of human resources."

Among other measures, this protocol provides that "in the event of serious accidents or disasters, an Autonomous Region can request help to the other region."

At the ceremony, the Governments of the Azores and Madeira also signed another agreement on youth policies in the area of youth associations, entrepreneurship, creativity, mobility and youth information; joint actions and projects will included in an Annual Action Plan.

As for the sector of Culture, they signed a protocol for exchanges between museums, contemporary art centres, libraries and archives of the two regions as well as for the mobility of artists, groups, bands and cultural associations.

Both Regional Governments also signed a protocol on handicrafts for promotion of exchanges and training projects with the aim of "stimulating the exchange of knowledge and techniques" as well as the establishment of synergies for the creation of "a new position in the market that will ensure the sustainability of arts and crafts sector."