Accepting ultraperiphery: the role of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) in the territorial mobilization strategy of the Government of the Azores with the European Union

Abstract

The territorial mobilization strategy of the Regional Government of the Azores (GRAA) with the European Union (EU) is based on the use of all regionally based representation channels provided by the EU, including the Transregional European Associations (TEAs). Among these, we highlight the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) which GRAA presided during the 11 th and 12 th Governments, in the person of the president of GRAA Vasco Cordeiro. Based on this observation and given that the literature still does not offer any information on the purpose of using TEAs, this article aims to fill this gap by identifying the purpose of thee GRAA’s using the CPMR. Thus, using the conceptual framework offered by Callanan and Tatham (2014) and by conducting eight semi-structured interviews with political and technical personalities from the GRAA and the CPMR, it was possible to conclude that the GRAA uses the CPMR mainly for the purpose of regulatory mobilization. (4.9 out of 5) and residually for the purpose of financial mobilization (3.3 out of 5). More specifically, in terms of regulatory mobilization, the essential issue for the GRAA is the maintenance of a strong cohesion policy, although sporadic opportunities are probed in various policy areas that may result in more advantageous frameworks for the GRAA. In terms of financial mobilization, the use of the CPMR is mainly related to the formation of consortia that can be an end in itself or can constitute an opportunity to prove certain political points.