At a moment when Europe is recalibrating its place in an increasingly unstable global order, the Azores are once again asserting their relevance—not as a peripheral territory, but as a central node in transatlantic security and cooperation.

Speaking at the General Assembly of the Commission of the Islands of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CRPM), held in Sardinia, Artur Lima argued that the Azores possess a “fundamental contribution” to offer in both European and global security frameworks. Positioned geographically between Brussels and the United States, the archipelago, he noted, functions as a bridge—strategic, logistical, and increasingly political—linking two sides of the Atlantic.

The argument is not new, but its urgency is. As Europe confronts what Lima described as a “vertiginous redefinition of global geopolitics,” the Azores’ historical role—particularly during World War II—has regained contemporary resonance. Then, as now, the islands served as a critical waypoint in transatlantic operations. Today, that function extends beyond military logistics into broader domains: maritime security, environmental stewardship, and geopolitical positioning.

Lima’s intervention also carried a pointed message directed toward European institutions. Too often, he suggested, the significance of outermost regions is overlooked in Brussels, where policymaking tends to reflect continental priorities. The lived reality of insularity—distance, fragmentation, and structural constraints—remains insufficiently integrated into European strategy.

Central to his argument is the scale and potential of the Azores’ maritime domain. With one of the largest exclusive economic zones in Europe, the region is not merely a beneficiary of policy, but a contributor to continental priorities—particularly in biodiversity protection and ocean governance. “We lead by example,” Lima emphasized, calling for less rhetoric and more practical engagement.

The discussion in Sardinia focused on two key policy frameworks currently under preparation by the European Commission: a renewed Strategy for Islands and an updated Strategy for Outermost Regions. For the Azores, these are not abstract documents, but instruments that could reshape the economic and political landscape of insular Europe.

Lima stressed that existing legal provisions—namely Articles 349 and 174 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union—must be treated not as symbolic references, but as actionable commitments. These articles recognize the structural disadvantages of outermost regions and mandate tailored policies to address them. The challenge, he argued, lies in translating legal recognition into tangible outcomes.

Among the proposals advanced by the Azorean government is the creation of a European Observatory for Islands, aimed at improving data, coordination, and policy design. Equally significant is the call for “island-proofing”—a systematic assessment of how European policies impact insular territories, ensuring that regulations do not inadvertently exacerbate existing inequalities.

Beyond governance, Lima highlighted the conceptual shift needed in how islands are perceived. Rather than marginal spaces, they should be understood as “natural laboratories”—ideal environments for developing and testing solutions in the blue economy, circular economy, and sustainability. Crucially, he argued, such initiatives must be supported by direct funding mechanisms that recognize the structural disadvantages islands face when competing with large continental regions.

The stakes are not merely regional. As Europe seeks to redefine solidarity in an era marked by geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty, the treatment of its outermost regions becomes a test case. “The revision of these strategies,” Lima concluded, “will be the greatest test of true European solidarity in this decade.”

In that equation, the Azores are no longer asking to be remembered. They are positioning themselves to be reckoned with.