It is essential to boost internationalisation of Azorean economic activities, said Sérgio Ávila
The Vice-President of the Government stated in Angra do Heroísmo that it is "essential" that economic and social agents "minimise the small scale and dispersion of the regional territory.
Sérgio Ávila spoke at the opening of the seminar marking the launch of the new period of territorial cooperation Madeira-Azores-Canary Islands, pointing out the "cooperation with external partners" and "the internationalisation of activities" as a way to "integrate society into wider horizons."
In his speech, the Vice-President stressed that the Government of the Azores has recently created legislation to reinforce the support to the internationalisation of regional companies.
"It consists of a series of financial assistance measures for companies. They are directed to the knowledge and preparation of the access to new markets, the promotion of the international presence of Azorean companies and the organisation of internationalisation, prospecting and dissemination actions with the aim of strengthening and empowering Azorean companies in the opening to foreign markets," said the government official.
For Sérgio Ávila, the nature of the Azores as an outermost regions prevents direct access "to the benefits of trans-European networks" and hinders the entry in "the major continental markets as well as in economic, knowledge and research hubs."
Moreover, the Vice-President stressed "the successive enlargement of the EU, which created a new centrality and new decision-making centres, has threatened the most remote and sparsely populated areas with reduced economic potential." This trend must be tackled.
"The strengthening of public policies towards openness and growth in wider horizons" is, according to Sérgio Ávila, a path to follow. This is a good option to enhance cooperation between the regions of Macaronesia, through programmes like the one that was launched Friday, with a new enforcement period until 2020.
The Vice-President recalled that "more than two hundred applications have already been approved since the beginning of the programme. These projects include Azorean partners in areas of interregional and transnational cooperation as diverse as spatial planning, transport and communication, scientific research, environmental protection, cultural development and institutional cooperation."
"With the implementation of the approved projects, we have strengthened ties in this border of Europe and, consequently, the strategic importance of the three outermost regions has grown in the context of the European Union," stressed Sérgio Ávila.
In the current Cohesion Policy programming period 2014-2020, the relation with countries and territories near European regions will be reinforced, namely with Mauritania, Senegal and Cape Verde.
"I want to point out that, in the case of the Azores, their position in the North Atlantic as a natural logistics platform halfway between Europe and the Americas is of vital importance," the Vice-President said, stressing that the Region has a high potential in this area.
Sérgio Ávila also considered that "the Azorean Diaspora offers access to partners and agents in the Americas, not only in the preservation of culture and ties to land of origin but also in the economy, with important intervening parties in the fields of economy, science, public administration and governance of the countries of residence."