31. 8. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 232/91 
Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on disadvantaged island regions 
(87/C 232/25) 
The Section for Regional Development chose to carry out its work on disadvantaged island regions in 
the form of an information report, as authorized by the Bureau in December 1985. This report was 
completed in July 1986. 
The report was adopted by the section but not submitted to the plenary session since, at the section's 
request, the Bureau agreed, on 25 November 1986, to alter the procedure so as to allow the report to 
be converted into an own-initiative opinion. 
On 8 April 1987 the Section for Regional Development and Town and Country Planning adopted the 
opinion in the light of the Report by Mr Vassilaras, rapporteur. 
At its 247th plenary session held on 1 and 2 July 1987 (meeting of 2 July 1987) the Economic and 
Social Committee unanimously adopted the following opinion: 
1. Introduction 
In view of the interest displayed among interested groups in 
its information report, the Committee welcomes the 
opportunity of compiling its first formal opinion on the 
problems specific to island regions — already studied in other 
forums such as the Council of Europe and the European 
Parliament. 
In the Committee's view, the Community's current regional 
policy has not led to the formulation of specific programmes 
or measures for disadvantaged island regions which combine 
the general features of under-development with the 
disadvantages of isolation and geographical location. The 
various measures mooted in this opinion are therefore bound 
to differ from the treatment given to mainland regions (e.g. 
slightly higher rates of aid). 
It should be remembered that this opinion is solely concerned 
with small islands or archipelagos; large islands are already 
covered by special development programmes and are far 
better equipped administratively to meet the criteria 
determining eligibility for national or Community aid. As 
regards the lower size limit, islands which in terms of 
population correspond approximately to classes III — IV are 
covered. This implies that the island has at least one town or 
village which would be suitable as a focal point for 
development. 
The problems touched on in this opinion reflect the concern 
of all island communities, as borne out by the experts' reports 
and the field studies conducted by the rapporteur and study 
group. These problems are largely connected with inaccessibility 
and transport infrastructure, water and/or energy supplies, 
housing and social facilities. 
The Committee has observed Member States' failure to give 
due attention to these matters, due less to lack of resources 
than to the fact that these island populations are not large 
enough or sufficiently organized, to exercise any significant 
electoral pressure. This opinion seeks to step up 
implementation and coordination of the Community's 
regional development instruments (including all the 
structural funds) in order to trigger processes (snowball 
effect) leading to the partial or complete elimination of the 
development handicaps of small islands. It is essential that 
the Member States share the responsibility and the costs even 
if a higher than normal Community rate of contribution is 
required in individual cases. 
2. Key aid sectors 
2.1. Accessibility and transport infrastructure 
Some islands suffer from geographical isolation, others from 
irregular sea or air communications. In other cases climatic 
conditions or turbulent seas may cut off access for longer or 
shorter periods or, alternatively, infrastructure is inadequate 
(poorly equipped ports (if any), bridges or airports). 
Invariably the result is higher costs, difficulties in obtaining 
supplies or travelling from a to b and obstacles to the 
development of flourishing commercial activities. 
To overcome this problem and to support the development of 
the islands' economic potential, various kinds of national and 
Community aid are required, not just during profitless 
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months but on a permanent basis. In cases where Member 
States decide to subsidize transport on a continuing basis and 
the Community puts aside its competition doubts because of 
the needs of the regions, consideration should be given to the 
feasibility of aid being administered by representatives of 
local government and trade organizations on the islands. 
2.2. Energy 
Infrastructure schemes for improving energy supplies on 
small islands are indispensable. The production, storage and 
distribution of electricity is not only important for primary 
energy requirements. It is also needed for lighting, heating 
and household purposes, for heating glass-houses, for 
irrigation and for desalination (which could solve the water 
supply problem on many islands). Adequate and economical 
energy supplies would also help certain medium-sized or 
insufficiently developed enterprises (wood and leather 
processing, boat-building, fish processing and marketing) to 
fulfil their potential. 
While it is particularly important in the short term to provide 
special financial support to meet immediate traditional 
energy needs, in the medium-term new, or alternative energy 
sources should be tested, developed and exploited (solar, 
wind, geothermal, tide and wave energy and biomass). 
In this connection, some islands could be used for 
experimental projects. 
The Committee would also point out that the new 
programme to exploit energy potential (Valoren) can be of 
particular help in solving the problems of the island 
regions. 
2.3. Water supplies 
Since small islands have a small surface area and the sea is 
never far away, rain water has little time to collect 
underground and flows rapidly to the sea. The geological 
structure is a further cause of water shortage problems on 
most small islands. In many cases, lack of fresh water inhibits 
economic development (e.g. tourism), quite apart from 
affecting animal farming and the health of island 
inhabitants. 
Desalination of sea water and sewage treatment plants only 
partially solve the problem. Other techniques for collecting 
and storing rain water and for supplying water from other sources at times of peak demand are available and should be 
implemented with the participation of the Community as 
part of its regional policy. 
In addition the costs per m3 of storage and piping water to 
population centres or industrial water production methods 
are often much higher on islands than on the mainland. 
These costs are acceptable for tourists staying in hotels but 
can have a disastrous impact on the local population whose 
conditions of hygiene are far from ideal (e.g. Canary Islands). 
Further, on some islands, farming cannot survive without 
expensive irrigation facilities. 
2.4. Social infrastructure and housing 
Action to create a basic social infrastructure should include a 
bigger contribution to projects in the following areas: 
— health care: medical and hospital services where 
appropriate, ambulance-ships to serve groups of islands 
and possibly 'flying doctors', 
— education/training: schools and the appropriate staff, 
centres for basic and advanced vocational training, 
facilities for distance learning and easier access to colleges 
and universities on the mainland. Effective short-term 
measures might include (a) financial incentives to 
encourage mainland specialists and skilled staff to settle 
on the islands and (b) mobility grants with inbuilt 
safeguards to enable young people to return after 
receiving training on the mainland, 
— information: local provision of information on business 
promotion measures by business advice and technical 
assistance services, 
— housing: conservation of the architectural heritage, 
upgrading of existing housing and, where applicable, 
subsidized housing. 
This last aspect raises a tangible and frequently-voiced 
problem, namely that the ERDF Regulation is ill-adapted for 
the purposes of promoting housing. The Committee firmly 
believes that, in both island and mainland disadvantaged 
areas, construction or renovation aid is often of vital 
importance for the communities concerned and a 
prerequisite for future economic development. The 
Community should be equipped with the requisite resources 
and not resort, when its arm is twisted, to adopting ad hoc 
regulations (e.g. the Belfast integrated operation). 
2.5. Environment 
This aspect is fundamental to island regions, which have to 
take particular care to ensure that the fragile earth/sea 
31. 8. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 232/93 
balance remains undisturbed and to preserve ecosystems and 
biotypes which have already died out elsewhere in the world. 
Here, reference should be made to the Commission 
communication on the protection of Community coastal 
regions (COM(86) 571 final). 
Appropriate measures would include the following: 
— keeping the sea around the islands clean, 
— preventing erosion of the coast, 
— conservation or restoration of local fauna and flora, 
— programmes for saving endangered animal species (e.g. 
seals and sea turtles on certain Greek islands) as well as 
for creating biotope zones, 
— preventive measures against fires which destroy forests 
and accelerate erosion of thin soil layers; reafforestation 
of uncultivated land in line with a Community forestry 
policy which takes account of island interests. 
Conservation also encompasses action to haphazard 
construction with a total disregard for aesthetic standards, 
the well-being of the local inhabitants or preservation of 
architectural harmony and local traditions. Where it is not 
already too late to take action, recommendations aimed at 
the Member States are one option. 
2.6. Agriculture and reafforestation 
Here there are two difficulties: firstly, agriculture is receding 
in expanding tourist areas and, secondly, the much desired 
modernization and diversification of production is often 
impeded by lack of know-how, entrenched practices and an 
ageing population as well as the absence of guaranteed 
market outlets. Further, the destruction of forests over the 
centuries for a variety of reasons is having serious effects, 
particularly on water supply and retention on islands with 
hot climates. 
Though the revised CAP now advocates a reduction in 
farming land, in the specific case of islands, measures are 
needed to prevent tourism running riot and leading to an 
irrational and disproportionate drain on the arable land so 
necessary for the island to maintain a sound balance. 
Action must therefore be taken to reorganize and revitalize 
agriculture, by means of development programmes specially 
tailored to the island regions. Technical assistance and the organization of cooperatives are two key factors. Marketing 
and processing must also be studied in relation to the specific 
conditions of islands, which provide an excellent 
testing-ground for the promotion of medicinal herbs and 
'natural' or 'biological' products. Care must generally be 
taken to preserve traditional crops. 
2.7. Fisheries and port facilities 
Although fishing is of crucial importance for island 
economies, on several islands this traditional activity is 
declining steadily and is being spurned by the younger 
generation. Since the Community's fisheries policy has not 
provided sufficient protection for small boats, competitors 
have ousted local fishermen from the fishing grounds and 
deprived old established fishing families of their occupation. 
A genuine Community policy in this area would take full 
account of island interests. This also applies for possibilities 
for aid from the structural funds. An effective fishery 
protection system is necessary, funded from the central 
Community budget so that the cost does not fall solely on the 
peripheral Member States. 
Fundamental research work on the fishing sector is required 
at Community level. A first step towards checking the decline 
in this sector would be general measures to improve the 
exploitation of fishing grounds and aquaculture, to 
modernize boats and their equipment and to promote 
infrastructure projects such as docks, fish refrigeration and 
processing plants. Genuine competition with large foreign 
fleets would then become possible. 
3. General recommendations 
3.1. The above measures could form part and parcel of a 
Community development programme for disadvantaged 
island regions; in individual cases, provision will have to be 
made for slightly higher rates of Community aid. 
This programme could be geared to precise criteria 
determining the level of development and follow a modular 
approach. First the specific features and requirements of each 
island would be determined; then, following a scale of 
priorities, the 'port infrastructure', 'agricultural 
diversification' or other relevant modules would be applied 
simultaneously in a particular group of islands. 
Obviously the setting-up of telecommunications or 
data-processing centres at certain strategic points in island 
areas would be of great help in implementing and 
No C 232/94 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 8. 87 
coordinating such programmes, and would help create new 
jobs. Here the Committee recalls its enthusiastic support for 
the STAR programme, with particular emphasis on its 
potential contribution to island development. 
In connection with this extensive island regional 
development programme Article 34 of the ERDF Regulation 
could also be invoked for the purpose of implementing a 
number of integrated operations in cases of direct need, as is 
currently being done in the case of the island of Reunion. 
3.2. Development must always be guided by two key 
principles: 
Firstly, sectoral diversification, since dependency on a single 
crop, industry or activity of any kind (including tourism) is 
unhealthy, risky and at the mercy of the smallest climatic, 
political or economic vicissitude. Here, small and 
medium-sized firms are the greatest asset in creating a 
broader range of jobs and preventing an exodus of the local 
population. 
The other is active involvement of the islanders — through 
local authorities and socio-economic organizations — in 
planning and enforcing decisions affecting them (as proposed 
in particular without seeking to be exclusive in point 2.1 
'Transport infrastructure'). Involvement is a key feature of 
the management and running of integrated operations but 
similar arrangements should also be made in any Community 
programme specifically designed to aid the island regions. 
To encourage and ensure such involvement in all cases, the 
smallest islands will have to group together to overcome 
administrative obstacles. There have already been a number 
of successful examples. 
3.3. Given the special features of the disadvantaged 
island regions and the need to make full use of all instruments 
Done at Brussels, 2 July 1987. which can boost their development, these regions will have to 
be included in the 'integrated operation' approach, as 
recommended by the Committee in its opinion 1062/86 of 
17 December 1986 — provided they meet the criteria laid 
down in that opinion (cf. point 11.2 especially). 
4. Conclusion 
The problems of the Community's disadvantaged island 
regions affect over 7 million people. In the Committee's view, 
this alone justifies concern over their future. It also considers 
that island development should not be left solely in the hands 
of the individual Member States since experience has shown 
that governments, and even regions (in current 
administrative terms) have other priorities — except when 
islands are of strategic interest. The Committee deplores this 
deficiency since islanders have just as much right to 
consideration and development as the inhabitants of 
mainland regions of the Community. Failing prompt action, 
certain ways of life, and indeed peoples, will be placed at risk 
and gradually replaced by desert islands providing a haven 
for a few social 'drop-outs' or international tourist 
colonies. 
An integrated Community strategy, translated into a specific 
programme associating all Member States in line with the 
additionality principle, would be the best way of solving 
existing problems and preserving the islanders' rightful 
heritage. 
If this programme consists of 'modules', as the Committee 
recommends, there need be no fear that those islands that 
already enjoy relative prosperity on account, for instance, of 
tourism, will derive undue advantage from the benefits 
offered. In addition, simultaneous application to several 
islands all sharing the same kind of problems would keep 
costs down. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT