The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations expressed in Lisbon the Regional Government's intention to “intensify” its action on European matters in the coming months.
Rui Bettencourt highlighted the “new institutional cycle” of the European Union with a new European Commission, a new European Parliament and also with the definition of the Multiannual Financial Framework. The latter is “very important” for the Azores as far as it will finance part of the public investment in the Azores as well as private investment.
"We have an extremely important moment with the implementation of a new institutional framework, the preparation of the Multiannual Financial Framework and also the implementation of a new European Territorial Cooperation programme," said the government official. He spoke at the end of a meeting with the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Ana Paula Zacarias.
The Secretary for External Relations stressed the fact that, from January 2021, Portugal will hold the Presidency of the European Union, "where the Azores intend to actively participate."
“Evidently, the Azores will have a say. They have activities to propose and, thus, will have a role to play in this Portuguese Presidency of the European Union. In fact, we are a very specific region, both as an Outermost Region and as an Autonomous Region, with a role to play in the construction of the European Union." said Rui Bettencourt.
The Regional Secretary expects that the Azores will take action in the same way as they had done before, with the European Parliament voting for and defending once again the Azorean position on the Financial Framework.
For the Regional Government, this position should strive for "no cuts in the cohesion policy, no cuts in the financing of the Common Agricultural and POSEI and no cuts in the co-financing rate," reminded the government official. In this regard, he stressed that the Azores were “quite clear” on that matter and they have also said they had “the intent to take action” in defending the Azorean position, not only with the States and the European Parliament but also with partners of Outermost Regions.
"An Azorean position that is justified by the strategic vision that we have jointly defined with the Azorean civil society and the Azorean political society," stated the government official.
“We have reinforced this position and we have expressed our views about its importance: we expect that the next Multiannual Financial Framework will be not only a financial framework but also a strategic development framework for the Azores for a ten-year time horizon," stated the Regional Secretary.
Furthermore, Rui Bettencourt mentioned that the Azores have adopted "an important strategic position in regard to European territorial cooperation" with Macaronesia - Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde - as well as in regard to strategic cooperation with other countries around Macaronesia.