The Outermost Regions of the European Union have presented their joint contribution on the future Framework Programme for Competitiveness and Innovation (CIP). The current funding programme - in effect since 2007 until 2013 – is intended to support and monitor the innovation processes of small, medium and micro-companies as well as to improve their competitiveness in the domestic and international market, thus stimulating the use of information and environmental technologies, and renewable energy sources.
 
The joint document of the ORs is based on three axes: the importance of Competitiveness and Innovation in the ORs, the role that these regions may play in the future programme and the proposals submitted to the European Commission.

In this context, the Outermost Regions defend that the future Framework Programme for Competitiveness and Innovation should facilitate the ORs’ access to funding, through the adaptation of mechanisms to the specific situation of outermost regions and the promotion of equality of opportunities for all EU territories by establishing a criterion for positive differentiation. The ORs also suggest the simplification of the administrative procedures for accessing this program; improve the coordination and creation of synergies between different EU tools to support innovation and establish evaluation criteria that take into account the impact of local projects.

 This public consultation, promoted by the European Commission, is integrated in the debate about the definition of EU policies and programmes for the post-2013 financial framework in which the Regional Government has been participating, either individually or in the context of interregional cooperation entities.

The joint document of the ORs, submitted to the European Commission, was established in the context of the works of the Conference of Presidents of Outermost Regions in which the participation of the Azores is coordinated by the Office of the Under Secretary for European Affairs and External Cooperation. Over the last months, the ORs have presented their position on the future of Cohesion Policy, Development Policy and its Financial Tools and, more recently, on the Single Market.