Galicia and Northern Portugal reinforce cross-border socio-economic cooperation
The Euroregion Galicia – Northern Portugal and the Business Confederation of the Minho Region (CONFMINHO) are a force to strengthen cross-border economic development through knowledge and innovation. This Wednesday, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, another protocol was signed to reinforce this strategy.
The director of the European Group for Territorial Cooperation of the Galicia-North Portugal Euroregion, Nuno Almeida and the president of the Business Confederation of the Minho Region (CONFMINHO) Luís Ceia, signed, this Wednesday, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, a protocol of collaboration “with the objective of joint development and giving greater impetus to the cross-border economic effort, with knowledge and innovation, of initiatives”, Nuno Almeida during his speech.
The president of CONFMINHO recalled that “this protocol is similar to the one signed last January 2, between the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation of the Euroregion Galicia – Norte de Portugal and the Confederation of Companies of Galicia, in an attempt to expand that to all economic agents in the Euroregion”.
The ceremony was presided over by the second vice-president of the Xunta de Galicia, Diego Calvo, and by the president of CCDR-Norte and current president of the Euroregion, António Cunha.
Nuno Almeida said that the EGTC Galicia – Norte de relations “has as its main objective publicized as cross-border, a fundamental instrument for transforming border territories into areas of development, in addition to collaborating with business entities to promote the business fabric of our new Euroregion through knowledge and innovation”.
The head of CONFMINHO considers that “cross-border cooperation is the best instrument in the fight against the periphery of the regions, in relation to Lisbon and Madrid”. Ceia, who opened the political event, added: “it is urgently necessary for an inter-regional or inter-local process, of proximity cooperation, and-of-a-it in speech”.
For the vice-president of Xunta de Galicia, Diego Calvo, “this alliance is strategic and will make it possible to promote areas such as competition, innovation and attractiveness of both territories”. In this sense, he defends that initiatives like this allowed “to continue to add exercises to multiply results”, as the Euroregion has been doing for some time”.
Diego Calvo is committed to “continuing the bridges opportunity” and realizing the opportunity of European funds to face the challenges of the future. The current member of the Euroregion – Norte de Portugal and CCDR-Norte, António Cunha, noted that the president, with this protocol, reinforces a business agenda for cooperation in the Euroregion. “We are taking an important step in a challenging context of transforming our exchanges”, he underlined.