On 24 July 2006, the regional government delivered its opinion on the European Maritime Policy Green Paper to the European Commissioner for Fisheries & Maritime Affairs, clearly signalling the political and strategic importance that the definition of a future European Maritime Policy holds for the region.
As the President of the European Commission rightly said in the opening session of the Conference "European Maritime Policy and the Regions", held in June in the city of Horta, with regard to the sustainable use of maritime resources and other matters related to the sea, the Azores plays an obvious leading role.
Bearing this in mind, at the start of the public consultation phase the regional government decided to present a formal contribution. In addition, once the European Commission announced its intention to produce a Green Paper a year ago, we started working on the subject, namely at the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe. When we saw the first full versions of the Green Paper around four months ago, an inter-departmental working group was set up with the aim of producing our contribution.
Now the presentation of our contribution will enable us to participate in all subsequent developments including those which take place in the European Parliament, Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, not merely by listening to the opinions of others but by advancing our own proposals and concrete positions, which may serve as a reference point for the debate.