REGIÃO AUTÓNOMA DOS AÇORES
PRESIDÊNCIA DO GOVERNO
Gabinete do Secretário Regional da Presidência
Subsidiarity Monitoring Network - Immigration Consultation
The Regional Government of the Azores acknowledges the key role played by the Committee of the Regions, granting all partners an opportunity to express their view regarding the community law, as far as subsidiarity is concerned, thus contributing to ensure that Europe’s regional actors constitute undoubtedly a decisive part in the European law-making process. It is therefore evident that the Regional Government of the Azores strongly congratulates the Committee of the Regions on its recently launched subsidiarity analysis regarding the field of Immigration, Asylum and Visa Policy (Developing a European Policy on Labour Immigration).
The Regional Government of the Azores welcomes the referred policy proposals and stresses the need for a common and coherent European policy frame on labour immigration that establishes mechanisms that facilitate regular labour migration, and that, simultaneouslycomprises fundamental aspects, such as development, cooperation and avoiding irregular labour market.
The Regional Government of the Azoresshares the same concerns with the Committee of Regions, considering that the capital role of the regions and local authorities has not been taken into account by the Commission’s proposals. Regional and local authorities constitute, indisputably, a stakeholder as far as immigration is concerned, given that they provide several public services to immigrants, such as education, health care and housing, amongst others.
Therefore, the Regional Government of the Azores considers urgent to outline a set of policy instruments that allow regional and local authorities to participate in the delineation of a successful labour immigration policy, preferably under the scope of the Committee of the Regions.
REGIÃO AUTÓNOMA DOS AÇORES
PRESIDÊNCIA DO GOVERNO
Gabinete do Secretário Regional da Presidência
We must however point out that, in compliance with our Political-Administrative Statute, we are not competent in this matter and therefore unable to put forth any kind of action regarding this matter. Considering this, we inform that the Regional Government of the Azores will not issue an official subsidiarity analysis.
Nonetheless, we will be most receptive to all other consultations launched by the Subsidiarity Network that relate to any policy fields in which the Azores are competent, from the legislative point of view, hence assuring that its views are known.
Ponta Delgada, January 11th, 2008