“The cooperation organisations that are called upon to promote and defend the interests of the Regions - like CPMR - should be aware of speeches and movements that arising in the context of the economic crisis to devalue and attack the Regional Power and Autonomies in Europe,” defended the Regional Under Secretary for European Affairs and External Cooperation in Aarhus on Thursday.

Rodrigo Oliveira, who participated in the 39th General Assembly of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions on behalf of the President of the Government, added that “the difficult economic and financial context in Europe and in the world may lead some states to unjustifiably defend nationalist-oriented positions as well as to the resurgence of misplaced centralist trends, either in speech or in political action.”

“Hence, CPMR should take action among the various levels of power and public opinion in the defence of regionalism in Europe and against those who purposely want to confuse and associate, for example, containment measures and rationalisation of costs with the reduction of the powers of Regions,” said Rodrigo Oliveira.

Under a panel that counted on the participation of the Director-General of Budget of the European Commission, the Regional Under Secretary for European Affairs and External Cooperation said that the Commission's proposals for the next EU financial framework "are a good starting point, taking into account the difficult context are facing. “With regard to the regulation of European funds, he called for the need to acknowledge the different status and situation of Outermost Regions as well as the flexibility mechanisms, decentralisation and multilevel governance, highlighting the powers of participation of Regions with legislative powers.”

“CPMR should thus pay close attention to the theme of solidarity in Europe and to the economic and social impact of austerity measures. Being an organisation of regions, this body should also promote the dissemination and defence of regional power, particularly in the current context and the discussions on next EU financial framework,” concluded Rodrigo Oliveira.