Ports from the European Union’s Outermost Regions (ORs) have taken a further step towards strengthening their cooperation, with progress being made on the creation of an Association of Outermost Regions Ports. The new organisation is intended to provide a permanent structure for the cooperation and joint work developed by the ports over the past year.
The decision was reached at a working meeting held at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Government of the Canary Islands, in Las Palmas, on the occasion of Seatrade Cruise Med. Representatives of the ten ports currently involved in the cooperation platform attended the meeting, including the Administration of the Ports of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (APRAM, SA), under the responsibility of the Regional Secretariat for Economy.
The meeting was attended by Pablo Rodríguez Valido, Minister for Public Works, Housing and Mobility of the Government of the Canary Islands. He was presented with the objectives of the initiative, the work carried out by the OR ports over the past year and the proposal for the creation of the future association.
Pablo Rodríguez Valido expressed his support for the initiative and confirmed the Government of the Canary Islands’ support for the process, highlighting the importance of strengthening cooperation between ports in the Outermost Regions and developing common positions towards the European institutions.
The proposal to establish the Association will be presented by the Canary Islands at the next meeting of the OR Ports Group, which will take place in Guadeloupe as part of the Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions. At that meeting, the creation of a dedicated working group will be proposed to define the structure, governance and main areas of activity of the future association.
The new organisation is intended to give a more permanent framework to cooperation between OR ports, strengthening the exchange of knowledge and experience, coordination and the development of common positions on the challenges arising from European port and maritime policies.
Madeira, through APRAM, has played an active role in this process, contributing to the identification of common challenges and the development of joint positions. Over the past year, OR ports have held technical meetings, shared experiences and developed joint initiatives.
Among these initiatives was the preparation of a position paper on the European Port Strategy, submitted to the European Commission, as well as an institutional programme in Brussels in May, which included meetings with representatives of DG CLIMA, DG MOVE and DG MARE.
The Las Palmas meeting consolidated the work carried out so far and marked the beginning of a new stage of cooperation, centred on the creation of a permanent association that will enable OR ports to strengthen their collective voice and engagement with the European institutions.
The future Association will bring together port authorities from Portugal, Spain and France, representing the ports of Madeira, the Azores, the Canary Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion, Mayotte and Saint-Martin.
