The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations called for the "unyielding defence" of the position taken by the Regional Government and the Azorean society regarding the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027.
 
"This position defends the maintenance of the current appropriations under the Cohesion Policy, CAP and POSEI, currently are threatened by major budget cuts stemming from the European Commission proposal. Moreover, it defends the maintenance of the current co-financing rates," said Rui Bettencourt.
 
The government official spoke at the end of the meeting of the Presidents of Outermost Regions with the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, where he participated on behalf of the President of the Government. On the occasion, he stressed that the Azores presented this positions with "political and social legitimacy," recalling the broad debate held in the Azores to discuss the main lines of action for the future involving the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy as well as POSEI.
 
Rui Bettencourt also stressed that this position was unanimously voted by the Legislative Assembly on the proposal of the Regional Government. It was built based on the consultation of citizens involving social partners - unions, business associations, Agricultural Federation and Fisheries Federation - professional associations, social solidarity institutions, University of the Azores, political parties and citizens.
 
Furthermore, the Regional Secretary highlighted another two resolutions on the Multiannual Financial Framework that were unanimously voted by the Legislative Assembly: one on its negotiation process and the other on POSEI and Outermost Regions. The respective documents were delivered to Antonio Tajani at today's meeting in the Belgian capital.
 
Rui Bettencourt pointed out that the position of the Azores "goes far beyond" all this as "it establishes the main lines of action for the future of the Azores as a strong European region with its own legislative powers." As he added, this position also "seeks, through the development of the archipelago, the convergence with the European Union, the mitigation of its fragility as an Outermost Region and the well-being of its citizens."
 
At the meeting with the President of the European Parliament, the Secretary for External Relations restated the "enormous potential" that the Azores bring to the European Union as an Outermost Region of the European Union that represents the specific weaknesses of an outermost region. This is particularly evidenced in their geostrategic position, in the size of their maritime area (1 million Km2, 18% of the European maritime area) and in their "willingness and ability to participate in the construction of the Union."