The socialist mayor of Portimão is the first Portuguese woman to chair one of the six specialized committees of the Committee of the Regions, a body that brings together mayors and regional leaders from the 27 member countries of the European Union.
Isilda Gomes believes that the committee of the regions can make a difference in many policies that are developed in Brussels.
In the Committee of the Regions, most of the members are regional leaders, because most of the countries are already regionalised.
In Portugal we are still in the phase of decentralization of powers from the central state to the municipalities, but the mayor of Portimão considers that it is inevitable to move towards the creation of regions.
Isilda Gomes was elected president of the Natural Resources Commission (NAT) and will hold the position for the next two and a half years.
The commission deals with issues related to rural development, health, agriculture, forestry, fishing, civil protection, consumer protection and tourism.
The first meeting will take place this Wednesday, in Brussels, and will discuss proposals related to geographic information, food security and small rural areas.
Source: TSF
