José Manuel Bolieiro defends strengthening of POSEI and recognition of Outermost Regions - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, took part in the Forum of the Outermost Regions in Brussels today, speaking on the panel "POSEI Agriculture - Challenges and Opportunities."

The President's presence was an opportunity to emphasise the importance of POSEI agriculture as an essential instrument for the development of Europe's most remote regions, such as the Azores.

The head of the Azorean Government stressed that POSEI has been decisive for the territorial cohesion of the European Union, promoting the endogenous potential of Outermost Regions and guaranteeing a secure path towards food self-sufficiency. He defended that this successful model should serve as a basis for extending the approach to sectors such as fisheries and transport.

"POSEI is a good reference in Cohesion Policy and should serve as an inspiration for similar policies in other essential sectors, such as fisheries and transport," stated José Manuel Bolieiro.

One of the main warnings was the stagnation of the programme's financial envelope, which has not been reviewed since 2007. The lack of an update has led to a significant loss of purchasing power for the agricultural sector in the Outermost Regions, with an estimated devaluation of more than 40% due to accumulated inflation. This situation jeopardises the economic viability of farms and forces regional governments to make financial efforts that, while important, are not sustainable in the long term.

In the Azores, the Regional Government has been partially offsetting these shortcomings by allocating more than 15 million Euros a year from the Regional Budget to the agricultural sector. Even so, the President of the Government considered that this response, although necessary, should not replace the role of the European Commission in supporting the Union's islands and remote territories.

"Our governments cannot continue to replace responsibilities that fall under the European Commission. This injustice must be corrected as a matter of urgency," he emphasised.

He also pointed out that the Outermost Regions represent a strategic asset for the European Union, both geographically and politically. 

These regions contribute to the European Union's maritime and international projection, being present on several oceans and continents. Recognising and valuing this status means ensuring that they have the necessary means to fully integrate into the European project.

The importance of maintaining direct relations between the Outermost Regions and the European Commission was also emphasised, considering the constitutional and administrative specificities of each member state. In this regard, POSEI is a fundamental tool for ensuring the principle of subsidiarity and responding to the real needs of the territory.

The President of the Government recalled that POSEI was the result of a long process of recognising the additional costs of being an island and being far from central markets. In addition to supporting local production and supplies to the regions, the programme has been essential for diversifying agricultural activity, recognising farmers' role and maintaining the population in rural areas.

"It is essential to ensure that we continue to produce quality food, sustainably and with reduced external dependence. This is the real food security that Europe needs," he said.

José Manuel Bolieiro believes the future of POSEI must be strengthened based on its positive track record, incorporating an additional margin for growth to reduce imports and external dependencies. To achieve this, it will also be essential to implement an annual updating mechanism that reflects inflation, as is already the case with other European funding instruments.

At a decisive moment for the future of the Common Agricultural Policy and the next Multiannual Financial Framework, the Azorean Government expects that the European Commission will acknowledge the strategic importance of Outermost Regions and act accordingly, ensuring the continuity and reinforcement of instruments that have proved decisive for their development.

The panel "POSEI Agriculture - Challenges and Opportunities," moderated by MEP Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, was attended by Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Fernando Clavijo Batlle, President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Gérard Bally, Delegate General of EURODOM, and Jorge Rita, President of the Azores Agricultural Federation. Younous Omarjee, the Vice-President of the European Parliament, was also present at the session.

In addition to this panel, the Forum of the Outermost Regions also included debates on "POSEI Transport - Connectivity of the Outermost Regions" and "POSEI Fisheries - The Role of Fisheries and the Ocean in the Outermost Regions," highlighting the importance of an integrated and strategic approach to the sustainable development of these regions in the European context.