The Government of the Azores highlighted the "important" role that the EU-USA Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership can play in the improvement of trade relations as well as in the reinforcement of political and institutional relations between the Region and the USA. However, it is important to safeguard the interests of the Azores in the ongoing negotiation process.

"The Government of the Azores regards this future partnership as a good opportunity for the Region and local businesspeople. They will have the opportunity to simultaneously boost the historical, cultural and institutional relations with the USA and reinforce the effective growth of the trade and services sector," said the Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations.

Rodrigo Oliveira spoke on behalf of the President of the Government at the presentation of the Macroeconomic Impact Study for Portugal under the EU-USA Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. The government official stressed that "the negotiation of an agreement that significantly reduces the existing barriers may also fulfil the growth potential of trade between the Azores and the United States. It will benefit the regional market, local producers and the creation of jobs."

However, the Regional Under Secretary called for the importance of "ensuring that any increase in the trade between the Azores and the USA will not be made at the expense of a reduction in the trade between the Azores and other consolidated markets."

"We want to enhance our export capacity and expand the geographic scope of our target markets," added the government official. The Regional Under Secretary emphasised that "the Portuguese State and European institutions should acknowledge the strategic role of the Azores in the North Atlantic, which can be reinforced by increasing trade and the provision of services under the Transatlantic Partnership."    
  
For the Azorean Government, "Portugal and the European Union should pay special attention to the primary and agri-food sectors in the context of these negotiations." In this regard, the government official stressed the need to "defend the regional production by safeguarding regional protected designations in order to ensure the respect for the authenticity of exported Azorean products."

"The implementation of animal welfare rules and environmental requirements in the USA that are less stringent than those in force in the European Union, the existence of large economies of scale or the use of products in animal feed that are forbidden in Europe are reasons of great relevance that cannot be overlooked in the negotiation process," stressed Rodrigo Oliveira. The Under Secretary added that the Government of the Azores is "aware of any signs of openness regarding the topic of Genetically Modified Organisms; the latter is a particularly relevant issue to the Region."
 
In the field of air transport, Rodrigo Oliveira stressed that the USA should increase the flexibility of their policies in order "to ensure the broader access of European airlines to its market, which will reinforce flight connections and boost tourism flows between the Region and the United States."
 
In the case of maritime transport, we cannot forget that "the privileged geographic location of the archipelago is an asset that can play an important role in the provision of services related to the entry and exit of goods in the European space. This will enhance the centrality of the Azores in the interconnection between both sides of the Atlantic."

In his speech, the Under Regional Secretary stressed that the USA is an "important target market for Azorean production," which can "benefit" from the process that will lead to the Agreement for the Transatlantic Partnership.

"We have no doubt that the end of restrictions to exports to the USA will leverage the production and export potential of the Azores, starting by the reduction of non-tariff barriers," said Rodrigo Oliveira. In this regard, the government official stressed that "this export potential will directly benefit from the reduction and elimination of customs duties, which may reach 139% for dairy products and 22/23% for alcoholic beverages."