The Insular Regions Interregional Group amplifies the voice of European islands and outermost regions by promoting tailored EU action on insularity. Its core aim is to ensure that geographical uniqueness becomes a cornerstone of European policymaking across multiple sectors—transport, investment, climate resilience, circular economy, competitiveness, sustainable tourism, water resilience and more.
Europe is at a strategic crossroad for the future of island regions: the mid-term review of cohesion policy, the Commission's commitment to revising the strategy for the Outermost Regions (ORs), the announced ambition to create a dedicated EU islands strategy, as well as the upcoming negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the post-2027 cohesion policy. In this pivotal context, defending and mainstreaming the insular dimension is more necessary than ever across all EU policies.
Mission
This interregional group has the mission to:
- strengthen the subnational dimension by ensuring equal development opportunities for islands;
- place insularity at the heart of EU transport policy to improve connectivity and mobility;
- provide a bespoke EU investment policy with specific instruments and measures for island governments;
- propose amendments to regional state aid rules to reflect the realities of EU island regions;
- compensate for islands’ climate vulnerability through targeted climate adaptation and resilience measures;
- support the transition to a circular economy by promoting sustainable resource management across islands;
- boost island competitiveness and entrepreneurship through enhanced support and incentives;
- strengthen EU territorial analysis tools, introducing statistics categories specific to islands and island regions;
- establish dedicated bodies for island issues within EU governance structures to ensure a sustained focus.