The joint position, signed by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and French President Emmanuel Macron, was addressed to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Irish Prime Minister, Micheál Martin. The leaders consider it "absolutely essential" to ensure adequate EU funding for these regions, advocating for the maintenance of current co-financing rates and, at least, the level of support foreseen in the current framework.
In the letter, the three heads of state and government emphasize the importance of specific funding for ultra-peripheral regions in the negotiation mandate for the next European budget. They recall that these territories face permanent limitations due to factors such as remoteness and insularity, as recognized by Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The ultra-peripheral regions of the European Union include the Azores and Madeira, the Canary Islands, and six French territories, representing approximately five million citizens. The European leaders stress that these regions are "much more than a geographical specificity," due to the maritime and strategic projection they provide to the EU and their relevance in the current international context.
The initiative, which is part of the Portuguese Government's priorities for the next European budget, such as cohesion and competitiveness, aims to protect the specificities of these regions.
