Europe "does not always acknowledge the outermost region status," stresses Artur Lima - Communication

Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional

The Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, received today the Ambassador of Denmark, Lars Steen Nielsen, as part of an official visit paid by a delegation of Ambassadors of European Union Member States to Angra do Heroísmo.

During the meeting, which took place following the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Vice-President of the Government began by highlighting the importance of the Azores' status as an outermost and archipelago region.

"Santa Maria is 600 kilometres away from Corvo," he stressed.

"We must, for example, tackle issues such as maritime transport conditions, as well as education and health care on the nine Azorean islands," stated Artur Lima. The region's infrastructures "must also be expanded across the archipelago."

According to the Vice-President, "Europe does not always acknowledge the outermost region status."

The Azores are one of the greatest examples in Europe concerning "biodiversity conservation, especially with the creation of Marine Protected Areas," he said.

However, "Europe disregards this relevance, particularly the geopolitical and geostrategic dimension" of the Region, even though the Azores have the largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the European Union and are "Europe’s western frontier," he pointed out.

Therefore, "the Azores do not see the benefit of their position" at a time "when it is essential to leverage their geostrategic dimension in this context of instability," emphasised Artur Lima.

During the meeting, the Vice-President of the Government conveyed the Region's concern about the new Multiannual Financial Framework.

"We lead by example in environmental protection, biodiversity and renewable energy," he said.

Nevertheless, the proposal for the new European budget "disregards the outermost regions," he warned.

It is essential to get "the support from the European Union in the air and maritime transport sectors."

"The location of the Azores archipelago entails additional costs, for example, in the price of goods, and I have been trying to raise awareness of these issues among European institutions," noted Artur Lima.

"It is the Azores and Madeira that truly give the country its dimension," but "Portugal does not value this Atlantic dimension,’" added the Vice-President of the Government.

The official visit of the delegation of Ambassadors of European Union Member States accredited to Portugal began in São Miguel on Monday and continued today in Angra do Heroísmo.

Alongside the audience with the Danish Ambassador, there was a presentation on the European Union's Cohesion Policy in the Azores delivered by the Regional Director for Planning and Structural Funds, Nuno Melo Alves.