Abela urges EU to factor island realities into policymaking
Prime Minister says the bloc must reflect the challenges facing island states from the outset rather than address them after policies are drafted
The Prime Minister has urged the European Union to ensure island realities are more consistently reflected in European policymaking.
Speaking in Cyprus at the opening of a high-level conference on strengthening the European Union’s islands and coastal communities, Robert Abela said every island within the EU has its own particular circumstances, with common challenges including insularity, connectivity, higher costs and exposure to external shocks.
Abela said that for small island member states on the periphery of Europe, such as Malta, these pressures are “very real” and affect how people travel, how businesses operate and how public services are delivered.
He stressed that islands should not be viewed solely in terms of their limitations, as they are also “resilient, innovative and strategically important”, often serving as testing grounds for new approaches and technologies in sectors such as energy, maritime activities and digital policy.
The prime minister said European policymaking must be rooted in the realities of island states and should incorporate their perspectives from the outset.
He pointed out that the EU Treaties already recognise the specific challenges faced by islands, but argued that these realities need to be reflected more consistently when policies are being designed, rather than addressed afterwards.
He added that during European Council meetings he consistently insists that the concerns of island states be reflected in Council conclusions, which provide political guidance for shaping the bloc's agenda.
"Geography continues to shape the way citizens living on islands and in coastal communities live their lives. However, it should never stand in the way of our citizens' aspirations or their economic opportunities. Our duty is to ensure they are given all the tools they need to achieve those aspirations," Abela said.
The conference, which was organised by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, also marked the adoption earlier this month by the European Commission of the EU's first strategies for islands and coastal communities.
Abela welcomed the strategies, saying they should bring tangible improvements to the lives of people living on islands rather than merely acknowledging the challenges they face.