NEWS’S | Pedro de Faria e Castro in Brussels to discuss EU strategy for Outermost Regions

The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency of the Regional Government, Pedro de Faria e Castro, is in Brussels to present at the Committee of the Regions the opinion concerning the European Commission’s communication on the new Community strategy for the Outermost Regions, such as the Azores.

The government official, accompanied by the Regional Director for European Affairs and External Cooperation, Carlos Amaral, is in Brussels this week to attend the 153rd Plenary Meeting of the Committee of the Regions.

As rapporteur, Faria e Castro will present the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the communication of the European Commission – for this work, the Under Secretary consulted all Outermost Regions and met with the governments of Portugal, Spain and France, the Member States with such regions.

The EU Outermost Regions are territories facing permanent structural constraints, identified in Article 349 of the TFEU, which have a clear and direct impact on key sectors and shape contemporary life. 

The European Commission’s strategy is focused on people and proposes measures to improve the lives of the five million people living in these regions: fostering the ecological and digital transition and building on their unique assets, such as young populations, extensive coastlines, unique biodiversity and research potential.

The Committee of the Regions, which meets this week, is the advisory body composed of local and regional representatives of the European Union (EU), representing the views of subnational authorities (i.e. regions, counties, provinces, municipalities and cities) within the EU’s institutional framework.

The treaties require the European Commission and the Council of the European Union to consult the Committee of the Regions whenever new proposals are made in areas that have an impact at a regional or local level.

Pedro de Faria e Castro hopes that the opinion to be presented this week will be a decisive step towards providing the immediate responses that are essential to address the current context and the current challenging times.

GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU