The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Environment restated today that the Regional Government is committed to maintaining the "pressure" with the European Commission in order to ensure the granting of special aid to face the end of milk quotas; the latter occurs in a situation of "abnormality" in international markets.

"This is the effort we have undertaken," assured Luís Neto Viveiros. The government official spoke to journalists after a working meeting with the Minister of Agriculture and Sea, mentioning the support earned with the Conference of Presidents of Outermost Regions and the Commission for Natural Resources of the Committee of the Regions.
 
The Regional Secretary for Agriculture also recalled that the recent meeting with the European Commissioner for Agricultural and Rural Development during his visit to Portugal, who accepted an invitation to visit the Azores next year.

"The Azores have worked to achieve this goal, conveying their concerns in the production sector during the negotiation process," Neto Viveiros stressed, pointing out "the distance from markets, the geographical dispersion of small farms and the reduced impact of the agricultural business sector."

Questioned by journalists about the support to milk production already existing, such as POSEI, Luís Neto Viveiros stressed that the programme was "designed" for a scenario does not match what is happening in international markets.

According to the Regional Secretary, the dismantling of milk quota system and the subsequent liberalisation of markets occur in a context of "regression" of consumption in emerging countries and surplus of supply. This situation is the result of an increase in production due to good weather conditions and the Russian embargo.

"We are facing a situation that I would say quite abnormal compared to what we had been expecting. Bearing in mind all these arguments, we are putting pressure on all the forums we have participated and we will continue to do so," said the government official.

The working meeting with the Minister of Agriculture and Sea was intended to discuss and analyse several matters, including the Social Security, agricultural insurance, lines of credit announced by the European Commission and the future revision of POSEI. In this context, Luís Neto Viveiros noted the assurance given by Assunção Cristas regarding the "involvement" of the National Government in the defence of the claims and concerns raised by the Region.

"The Minister has an identical understanding of the potential that we have in terms of differentiation and product recovery. This is the path we should all follow," stressed the government official. We have followed "a common path that is good to the Regional and to the country."

With regard to the line of credit to support the promotion of products, Neto Viveiros clarified that this support measure was established by the European Commission. Its financial envelope was reinforced for the entire Community space, following the Russian ban on European dairy products, in order to promote alternative markets. Azorean companies are eligible for this support measure.