The Regional Secretary for Natural Resources said on Wednesday in Angra do Heroísmo that the Regional Government has been developing a "strategy of concerted pressure" with Community institutions with the aim of finding "solutions that can minimise the impact of milk quotas in Europe."

In this context, Luís Neto Viveiros stressed that the Azores "were able to secure their position in the contribution to the revision of POSEI presented by Outermost Regions (ORs) in addition to defending it in the document submitted by the Government to the European Commission.

"Regarding the Region's contribution to the revision of POSEI, the Government of the Azores has carefully identified these issues in order to exert concerted pressure with the European Commission," stressed the Regional Secretary. The government official spoke to journalists at the end of a meeting with MEP Luís Paulo Alves.

Luís Neto Viveiros said this is a way of "coordinating positions" with the aim of defending the measures the Regional Government believes that "have to be implemented as well as those to which the Region is committed to reinforce their funds, either through POSEI or Rural Development programmes."

The Regional Secretary reiterated the reinforcement of support to farmers' income and investment. The government official conveyed his belief in the Region's and regional farmers' capacity to overcome the challenges posed by the revision of CAP and the end of milk quotas.

"We have already overcome many challenges in the animal husbandry sector over the years, the Secretary recalled, adding that the Region already has some competitive advantages to avail of.

"Pastures are a major asset as they are the basis of milk production in our Region" as well as "our farming system," explained the government official.

As for the development policies in the agricultural sector, Luís Neto Viveiros also revealed that the Government of the Azores defends the promotion of research and innovation with the purpose of reducing costs and making production more competitive.