The Regional Under Secretary for European Affairs and External Cooperation defended yesterday in Brussels that "geography and, in particular, the long distance from political centres are not an obstacle to the assertion and visibility of a Region; it may be overcome by the dialogue capacity and interaction in the European regional context."

Rodrigo Oliveira spoke on behalf of President of the Government, Carlos César, at the Forum "European Union - Overseas Countries and Territories"(OCT), where he has been invited to present the Azores' case, "the most isolated outermost region of the Azores." Despite this fact, the Azores have taken a "leadership role in European inter-regional cooperation organisations, such as the Presidency of the Islands Commission of CPMR or the Eurodyssey programme since 2007. Furthermore, the Region has been distinguished as "European Region of 2010" and the effectiveness and success of its regional policies have been acknowledged at a European level."

The Eurodyssey Programme deserved special attention for the reason that this is an initiative developed and funded by Regions "which, in addition to the importance of inter-regional mobility, evidences the entrepreneurial action of 42 regions and the success of a cooperation programme that has already become a case study for European institutions. During the Azores' presidency, over five thousand trainees have participated in this initiative, corresponding to more than 15 million Euros in scholarships and internships at two thousand European companies."

The Regional Under Secretary for European Affairs and External Cooperation defended, on the other hand, that "regional dialogue and cooperation have the advantage of being more pragmatic and less bureaucratic, without the legal formalities of diplomacy between states; it focuses on what is essential: exchange of good practices, development of joint projects, defence of common interests and a closer relation between institutions and populations."

At the round table on "regional cooperation," which has also counted on the participation of the President of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association, the Members of the European Parliament, Maurice Ponga and Younous Omarjee, and the delegations from the twenty-six regions, Rodrigo Oliveira also noted that "geographical remoteness can be offset by the new information and communication technologies.
In the case of ORs and OCTs, the features are evident as well as common challenges. Hence, it is important to strengthen this cooperation, in the certainty that we will all benefit from the exchange of experiences in areas such as water or waste management, biodiversity protection, spatial planning or civil protection."

Rodrigo Oliveira criticised the position of the European Commission, which grants cross-border cooperation funds based on the 150 km proximity to external maritime borders because, "with regard to islands and outermost regions," European cooperation cannot be limited to geographical proximity criteria.
It is fundamental to take into consideration historical and cultural ties, particularly those with emigrant communities," said the government official, recalling the proximity and cooperation established by the Autonomous Region of the Azores with North American states and Canadian provinces.
 
The Forum "European Union - Overseas Countries and Territories" brings together representatives of European institutions from the twenty-six countries and territories (OCTs) with constitutional links to Denmark, France, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.