The Regional Under Secretary for European Affairs and External Cooperation stated on Wednesday that “the Government of the Azores fully shares the European commitments for a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, in accordance to the Europe 2020 Strategy,” as well as “its vision and national goals.”

In this context, Rodrigo Oliveira defended that the National Reform Programme (PNR), “being very important commitment made before EU institutions, should reflect the geographical and territorial diversity of the Portuguese State and its own institutional diversity,” mainly the existence and powers of Autonomous Regions “which have their own powers to pursue these national goals.”
 
The Regional Under Secretary spoke at the end of a work meeting between the Government of the Azores and the National Coordination of the Europe 2020 Strategy in the context of the regional participation in the drafting of the National Reform Plan. The meeting was attended by the Regional Directors in the areas of planning, transport, competitiveness, science and technology, education, energy and employment in order to discuss “the measures, projects and actions of the Regional Government that might be included” in the National Programme.

The National Deputy Coordinator of the Europe 2020 Strategy, Arminda Neves, who was accompanied by members of the European Commission Representation and State Secretary for Energy and Innovation, also took the opportunity to contact directly with some projects in the field of innovation and energy, visiting INOVA - Institute of Technological Innovation of the Azores and Pico Vermelho Geothermal Plant.

“We are part of the national whole and the position and autonomous actions of the Azorean Government will be certainly taken into account as a very positive contribution” to the global objectives of the NRP, Rodrigo Oliveira stated, emphasising areas such as “the environment , energy, research or employment.”

The Europe 2020 Strategy, which follows the Lisbon Strategy, was approved on June 17, 2010 by the European Council. It stipulates several goals for the European growth process, which should be transposed into national goals by Member States through the submission of National Reform Programmes (PNR).
The Portuguese Government will submit its PNR to the European Commission next April.