O estatuto de Região Ultraperiférica e a sua importância na União Europeia: o caso açoriano | The status of Outermost Region and its importance for the European Union: the Azorean case

Abstract

The current legal expression of the concept Outermost Region is found at the Articles 349 and 355 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Nevertheless, its origin dates to the 1980s, also influenced by the Azores, by the former President of the Government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, João Bosco Mota Amaral. Despite the thousands of kilometers that separate the ORs from the European continent, they are part of the EU, representing the European presence in global strategic areas. Among other documents, one should highlight the strategies implemented by the EU in 2017 and 2022. In this article, it is proposed to analyse the relevance of the ORs to the European Union, as dynamic actors, and partners, focusing mainly on the Azores, whose presence and importance has been vital to its development in several areas.