The European Commission has adopted its first dedicated EU strategies for islands and for coastal communities, covering 17 million people living on more than 4,000 islands and 95 million people living along 70,000 km of coastline.
The Commission said the two strategies set out a coordinated European approach for islands across 16 EU member states and coastal areas across 22 member states.
Common challenges for many islands include geographic isolation, limited transport links, high travel costs and times, small markets and reliance on tourism, as well as dependence on fossil fuels and vulnerability to climate impacts, the Commission said.
It also listed water scarcity, demographic decline and reduced access to essential services among the pressures faced on many islands.
Coastal communities face risks linked to climate change, marine and coastal biodiversity loss and marine pollution, the Commission stated.
It added that some areas also experience imbalanced tourism, shortages of affordable housing, seasonal work and limited job opportunities, contributing to young people leaving.
What the strategies cover
The islands strategy is structured around four areas: economic development and connectivity; energy security and climate resilience; communities and demography; and security and crisis preparedness, the Commission said.
It also promotes regular dialogue between EU institutions and stakeholders representing islands, alongside technical support such as capacity building and sharing good practice.
The coastal communities strategy focuses on three priorities: prosperity, resilience and liveability, the Commission pointed out.
It refers to developing the “blue economy” — economic activity linked to the sea, including sectors such as fisheries, tourism and marine renewable energy — and mentions business models such as pescatourism, where fishing activity is combined with tourism.
Measures listed for coastal areas include giving coastal communities a role in maritime spatial planning through an upcoming Ocean Act, support for “blue bioeconomy” projects, and work on a certification system for “blue carbon credits.”
It also said the strategy links resilience work to the OceanEye initiative presented recently.
The Commission said the strategies were informed by public Calls for Evidence and align with the European Ocean Pact launched in 2025.
EU outermost regions are not covered because they fall under a separate strategy to be presented later this year.
