Editing Azores (section)

===Foreign relations and defence===

As an autonomous but integral region of Portugal, foreign affairs and defence are the responsibility of the national government. As is all of Portugal, the Azores are in the [[European Union]] and [[Schengen Area]]. They are also in the [[European Union Customs Union]] and [[Value-added tax|VAT]] area<ref>[https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/vat/eu-vat-rules-topic/territorial-status-eu-countries-certain-territories_en Territorial status of EU countries and certain territories] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812213949/https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/vat/eu-vat-rules-topic/territorial-status-eu-countries-certain-territories_en |date=12 August 2019 }}{{snd}} [[European Commission]], retrieved 18 December 2018</ref> but levy a lower rate of VAT than applies on the mainland. The Azores, like Madeira and the [[Canary Islands]], are among the European Union's [[Special territories of members of the European Economic Area|state territories with special status]], and are one of its designated "Outermost Regions".

The [[Azores Military Zone]] is the Portuguese Army's command for ground forces stationed in the archipelago.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.exercito.pt/pt/quem-somos/organizacao/ceme/cft/zma|title=Quartel-General da Zona Militar dos Açores |website=Portuguese Army |access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref> The [[Portuguese Air Force|Air Force]], in turn, maintains a base at [[Lajes Field]], which is also home to the [[United States Forces Azores]], while the [[Portuguese Navy|Navy]] tasks the offshore patrol vessel ''[[Viana do Castelo-class patrol vessel|Figueira da Foz]]'', as well as a range of other patrol vessels, to patrol [[Exclusive economic zone of Portugal|Portugal's large economic zone around the islands]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marinha.pt/pt/os_meios/patrulhasoceanicos/Paginas/nrp-figueira-foz.aspx|title=NRP Figueira da Foz |website=Portuguese Navy |access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marinha.pt/pt/os_meios/lanchas/Paginas/default.aspx|title=Lanchas |website=Portuguese Navy |access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref>