José Manuel Bolieiro highlights Azores’ priorities and implementation of European funds during visit with European Commission - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, accompanied by the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, visited today several projects supported by European funds on the island of São Miguel, highlighting at first hand the impact of European Union policies on the Region.

The visit included the Trás-os-Mosteiros housing development located in Largo das Freiras, in the parish of Matriz, municipality of Ribeira Grande, and the São Miguel Island Ecopark (MUSAMI), an investment under the Cohesion Programme and co-financed by the ERDF.

The housing development comprises 52 new apartments: three one-bedroom apartments, 31 two-bedroom apartments and 18 three-bedroom apartments, resulting from a regional and EU public investment of over €7 million under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). The properties will be allocated on a lease with purchase option scheme, with tenants having the option to purchase one year after signing the contract.

At the São Miguel Island Ecopark, the Energy Recovery Plant was highlighted as a key infrastructure that represents the Azores’ commitment to a more sustainable, circular and resilient development model. The investment received EU funding of €68 million, with €47 million from the PO-SEUR programme and €21 million under the Azores 2030 initiative.

This event followed a working meeting held at the Santana Palace, after the audience for the exchange of greetings, during which the Government of the Azores presented its view on European Union policies and the financial instruments available to the Region.

According to José Manuel Bolieiro, the meeting was an opportunity to “identify priorities and align expectations” regarding the current funding framework and the next multiannual financial programming period.

“Cohesion is essential. We need to ensure infrastructures, create the conditions for the right to remain and strengthen the Azores’ attractiveness,” he said, emphasising the importance of areas such as territorial and social cohesion, mobility, the blue economy, agriculture, energy, and connectivity with the rest of the country and Europe.

The head of the Azorean Government also highlighted that these priorities are aligned with the European Commission’s guidance, while also praising the projects visited as tangible examples of investment in strategic areas such as housing and waste management, “in an archipelago committed to sustainability.”

José Manuel Bolieiro emphasised that the Azores are not merely a region with needs, but also “a region of opportunities,” with significant potential for the country and the European Union, particularly in the fields of security, defence, innovation and competitiveness in the Atlantic region.

The President of the Government also highlighted the Region’s capacity to implement EU funds.

“We have demonstrated our ability to make good use of the funds and have fostered genuine social and economic progress,” he said.

Finally, José Manuel Bolieiro highlighted the importance of the assurance given by the Vice-President of the European Commission regarding the future of the Cohesion Policy, reiterating the Azores’ position in favour of simplifying European instruments, whilst calling for stability in funding.

“We are in favour of simplification, but we need the assurance that the funds essential for the growth and development of an outermost region will be maintained,” he concluded.