Regional Government defends agriculture in Outermost Regions to MEPs
Ponta Delgada
Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação
The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food, presented this week the Region’s key demands within the negotiations for the upcoming 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI).
The address focused on defending the maintenance of specific treatment for agriculture in the Outermost Regions, as provided for in Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
The position advocated by the Azorean Government aligns with that of the other Outermost Regions. It has been supported by Portugal, Spain, and France, as well as by several MEPs, to ensure that the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) continues to recognise and offset the permanent constraints these territories face.
Regarding this matter, the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, was emphatic: "The Azorean agricultural sector cannot be governed by the same rules applied to mainland Europe. Agriculture in the Outermost Regions requires dedicated instruments to ensure farm competitiveness, production sustainability, and the economic and social cohesion of these territories."
Among the main demands presented by the Region is the preservation of POSEI as an independent programme, complete with its own regulations, governance and budget, as this instrument remains essential to offset the structural constraints of the archipelago.
The Regional Secretary defended that funding for the programme should remain fully covered by EU funds, maintaining the option to grant complementary state aid and establishing a dedicated financial allocation within the next European financial framework.
In tandem, António Ventura expressed his total opposition to any increase in the national CAP co-financing rate for certain measures applicable to the Outermost Regions, demanding that the current 15% rate be maintained, as any increase would place an unbearable financial strain on these regions.
Another priority set out by the Azores concerns maintaining higher support rates for productive investments in the Outermost Regions, proposing an 85% support intensity to preserve a differential that acknowledges the additional costs of being an outermost region.
The government official also advocated for mechanisms to ensure a smooth and stable transition from the current programming period to the next financial framework, avoiding any disruption in support for Azorean farmers.
Ongoing negotiations have already achieved significant progress, resulting in the reintroduction of an explicit reference to the POSEI Regulation in the European legislative proposal.
This outcome follows the joint work carried out by Portugal, Spain and France, in close coordination with the Outermost Regions and the MEPs following this matter.
However, António Ventura warned that structural issues remain to be resolved to fully safeguard the interests of the Outermost Regions, concluding with a final assurance: "The future of Azorean agriculture depends on the decisions currently being made in Brussels. We will continue to defend, firmly and decisively, a financial framework that recognises the unique reality of the Outermost Regions and ensures the conditions for our farmers to continue producing with quality, competitiveness and sustainability."
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