Artur Lima at Committee of the Regions with agriculture, social policy and energy policy on the agenda - Communication

Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional

The Vice-President of the Regional Government of the Azores, Artur Lima, attended the 172nd plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels.

The 172nd plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions took place on July 1 and 2 in Brussels to debate and adopt opinions on the Common Agricultural Policy, the European Social Fund, and climate and energy priorities for the 2028–2034 period.

During the session, the Region presented and supported a series of amendments proposed by other Outermost Regions, aimed at ensuring recognition of their specific characteristics and permanent structural constraints through appropriate and territorially tailored solutions.

The Vice-President of the Regional Government highlighted “the Azores’ efforts to ensure that European policies are properly adapted to the regional context, particularly regarding the next Multiannual Financial Framework.”

Artur Lima emphasised that “this is an absolute priority for the Region, given the ongoing negotiations on the next European budget.”

In this regard, “European institutions must acknowledge the importance of structural policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Policy for the Azores and other outermost regions”, he emphasised.

Similarly, “they will have to acknowledge the value that the Azores bring to Europe in the current geopolitical context,” stressed the government official. 

The plenary agenda also included three debates: one on fisheries, the Multiannual Financial Framework and coastal communities, with the participation of Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans; another on climate and energy, featuring a speech by Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President responsible for a Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition; and a debate on housing, with Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank, in attendance.

The meeting also featured a series of speeches marking the official start of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which runs from July 1 to December 31.

The primary mission of the European Committee of the Regions is to issue opinions on current political issues and legislative proposals in areas regarding the exercise of regional and local power in Europe, such as economic and social cohesion, employment and vocational training, education and culture, health and social policy, as well as the environment, climate change, energy and transport, amongst others.