AZORES | Artur Lima demands application of Article 349 TFEU in next EU budget

The Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, defended the full application of Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 (MFF) at a political meeting of the Interministerial Committee on European Affairs held in Lisbon.

“We view the proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework with great concern,” stressed the Vice-President of the Government.

“It is essential that Article 349 be complied with and that there be a specific budget for the Outermost Regions,” he defended.

Artur Lima considered the governance of the MFF through national and regional partnership plans a “bad principle” as it focuses the process on Member States.

“We disagree with the lack of specific funding for the Outermost Regions, but we are also concerned about the management of European funds by the National Government,” he stressed.

“The Outermost Regions add value to Mainland Portugal and Europe. Neglecting the Azores and the Outermost Regions is a strategic mistake,” he said.

The Vice-President of the Government highlighted that the Azores are essential “for European security policy,” mentioning the maritime, communications, submarine cables and space sectors.

“All of this represents a strategic value that the Portuguese Government must recognise,” he stated.

Artur Lima also pointed out the crucial importance of ensuring the continuation of POSEI Agriculture, an essential programme for the development and sustainability of the sector in the Azores.

The Vice-President of the Government also pointed out the lack of specific support for maritime and air transport in the Autonomous Regions, urging the need to find support within the European Union for accessible transport.

“As I had the opportunity to convey in Brussels, our railways are the air and the sea,” he said.

Acknowledging the complexity of the negotiations for the next MFF, Artur Lima stressed that the Azores and Madeira “are valuable in all their dimensions, being an asset to Mainland Portugal in the maritime, air and space domains.”

Therefore, it is essential “to make these assets known to the European Union,” concluded the Vice-President.

GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU