The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU will highlight the specificity of the outermost regions (ORs) within the framework of cohesion policy, according to its work programme.
It points out that the ORs have unique specificities recognised in the European treaties (Articles 349 TFEU) in that they give the EU territory a “strategic” maritime asset. Thus, for the Presidency, it is important to work on the definition of the international governance of the oceans to take into account their maritime specificities.
Generally speaking, it wishes to improve European policies, particularly agricultural and rural, transport (air and sea), environmental and tourism policies to adapt them to their particularities. Thus, the Portuguese Presidency intends to “liaise” with the Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions, which is chaired this semester by the Azores.
Space policy and ORs. The Portuguese Presidency underlines the crucial role played by these regions in the spatial field. This is obviously explained by the fact that French Guiana is the gateway to space for the European Union via the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou. But Portugal is considering creating a spaceport in the Azores as well, for small low-cost launchers.
As regards cohesion policy, the Portuguese Presidency will work to implement REACT-EU (see EUROPE 12604/2) and to finalise the partnership agreements and operational programmes of the different funds of the post-2020 cohesion policy (see EUROPE 12620/12).
A General Affairs Council dedicated to cohesion policy will be held on 15 April. On 18 May, an informal meeting on cohesion will be held in Coimbra, northern Portugal.
To consult the programme of the Portuguese Presidency: https://bit.ly/38Xm0oS (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)