The European Commission has set out a new strategy and proposed changes to EU rules for the bloc’s nine outermost regions — remote territories including the Canary Islands, the Azores and French Guiana.
The plan covers French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion and Saint-Martin (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain), the Commission informed in a statement on Thursday.
It said it had adopted a “Communication” — a policy document setting out its approach — alongside a regulatory package proposing targeted adaptations to EU legislation for these territories.
The proposed legal changes cover areas including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, migration and taxation.
The Commission said the package was a first step and that it would continue work across policy areas so that the outermost regions’ “specific constraints” are taken into account more systematically.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the regions’ “local realities and specific constraints” needed to be better reflected in EU rules, and that the Commission was “adapting our rules” for that purpose.
What the strategy covers
The Commission set out four objectives: strengthening cooperation with neighbouring countries and aligning internal and external EU policies; improving competitiveness and access to the EU single market; improving resilience and preparedness, including climate adaptation and dealing with the influx of sargassum seaweed; and promoting social fairness through measures linked to jobs, education, social inclusion, housing, water and healthcare.
It said the strategy includes work on connectivity, with references to stronger air and sea networks, and measures linked to “critical infrastructure like ports and submarine cables”.
The outermost regions have a special status under Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which allows specific measures and tailored application of EU laws and policies.
The regulatory package will be submitted to the Council for agreement by EU member states, after consultation of the European Parliament.
