Regional Director for European Affairs defends "knowledge of proximity" on Outermost Regions and the Azores
The Regional Director for European Affairs stated in Lagoa that it is "fundamental" to promote the visits of European union officials to the Azores in order to "promote a knowledge of proximity on the spot."
Célia Azevedo spoke on the sidelines of the visit made by Sabine Bourdy, Head of the Outermost Regions Unit of the EU Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, to the Azores. She stressed the importance of "harnessing the potential of the Azores and Outermost Regions in the European context."
The Regional Director expressed her satisfaction with the Commission's willingness to visit the Azores, following the recent approval of the Communication entitled "A strategic partnership reinforced and renewed with the EU Outermost Regions" and the preparation for the next EU programming period.
Sabine Bourdy, who started today a three-day visit to the Azores, visited Nonagon - S. Miguel Science and Technology Park, where the Regional Director for Science and Technology, Bruno Pacheco, presented the work developed, namely by the Regional Fund for Science and Technology.
On the occasion, the DG Regio team was informed about the work carried out under the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020, Horizon 2020, MAC Territorial Cooperation Programmes, Atlantic Area and Interreg Europe, among others; the Azores have provided a significant contribution under these programmes.
The promoters of Mistyc Sea II and MBT-Marine Biotech projects, coordinated by the Azores and supported by Horizon 2020, also had the opportunity to explain the work in progress to the Commission.
The organisation of this visit to Nonagon, one of several projects funded by the EU in the archipelago, "intended to showcase some of the dimensions of research and innovation in the Azores, through the various areas, and potential of this Park, which also promote the creation of jobs," said the Regional Director. In this context, she stressed that this reality "is understood with a direct contact with the heads of the companies installed here and their projects."
"In addition to research and innovation, environment and renewable energy, we intend to highlight during this visit the space policy in the Azores," said Célia Azevedo. The government official pointed out the satellite tracking station of the European Space Agency ESA), the Galileo Sensor Station or the on the island of Santa Maria as "clear examples of the size and relevance of the Azores in this context."
On Wednesday, the second day of her visit to the Azores, Sabine Bourdy will deliver a speech on "The Cohesion Policy and the ORs" under the conference "The Azorean society and post-2020 cohesion policy" at the Sacred Art Centre of the Carlos Machado Museum. The programmes also includes a visit to the Furnas Monitoring and Research Centre (CMIF), where the EU official and her team will have the opportunity to learn about the projects for the recovery of Furnas and Sete Cidades crater lakes.
The Regional Director for European Affairs accompanied the head of the ORs Unit in these visits and meetings. She will also visit, together with members of the European Investment Bank, the Pico Vermelho Geothermal Power Plant in Ribeira Grande. The third and last day of her visit will focus on the importance of renewable energies in the Azores.