B4-0375, 0376, 0442 and 0443/97

Resolution on an integrated policy adapted to the special situation of island regions in the European Union

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Articles 130a to 130f of the EC Treaty in which the objective of economic and social cohesion is laid down,

- having regard to the conclusions of the Rhodes European Council of December 1988 which acknowledged the socio-economic problems specific to island regions,

- having regard to the conclusions of the Turin European Council of March 1996 and the decision to include the question of the island regions on the IGC agenda,

- having regard to the memoranda concerning island regions tabled respectively by the Greek and Spanish Governments in the context of the IGC,

- having regard to the Final Declaration of the Conference of the European Parliament and the Regional and Local Authorities held in October 1996 and, in particular, paragraph 28 thereof (PE 219.978),

- having regard to Article 13(3) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/93 of 20 July 1993 amending Regulation (EEC) 2052/88 on the tasks of the Structural Funds ((OJ L 193, 31.7.1993, p. 5.)),

- having regard to the Third European Conference on Islands held on 16-17 June 1991,

A. whereas the island regions, although very different one from another and with major differences in development, have certain common characteristics and special features distinguishing them clearly from the mainland regions, such as the natural barrier of the sea separating them from the mainland, the limited nature of their natural and human resources, the narrowness of their markets, the fragility of their ecological balance and their often high unemployment and low incomes,

B. whereas the permanent nature of the characteristics linked to an insular situation requires an integrated approach to tackle the sustainable development needs of the regions concerned and, at the same time, to exploit their full potential,

C. whereas the structural and permanent handicaps and the shortage of natural resources (water, energy, living space and agricultural land) and human resources (skilled labour, danger of emigration) constitute an additional disadvantage for island regions,

D. whereas the lack of social infrastructure (health, education, culture) and employment problems, especially for young people, cause demographical bleeding and constitute an additional disadvantage for island regions,

E. whereas the fact that most of the Union's islands come under different Structural Fund objectives demonstrates the need for special treatment of these regions at Community level,

F. whereas the lack of water supplies is a further problem, aggravated by growing tourism and by the lack of space for reservoirs and by dependency on climate conditions,

G. whereas the limited surface area of the island regions not only has an impact on the quantity and quality of available raw materials but also restricts the growth potential of undertakings established in such regions,

H. whereas interregional and transfrontier cooperation is of great importance to the island regions, as shown, for example, by the RECITE I Programme and the COAST, EURISLES and IMEDOC projects,

I. whereas, according to the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, 'discrimination is defined as treating differently situations which are identical or treating in the same way situations which are different' (judgment of 23 January 1983 in Case 8/82),

1. Is aware that the island regions suffer from structural handicaps connected with their insular situation, the permanent and serious nature of which is severely hampering their economic and social development;

2. Notes that this economic underdevelopment is a result not only of their insular situation but that these regions also suffer from the absence of a European Union policy geared to their insular nature;

3. Stresses that, despite differences between island regions and small islands in particular, these regions have certain common handicaps which should therefore be taken into account in a specific fashion, since this is an essential precondition for the attainment there of the objective of economic and social cohesion;

4. Notes that the fragile nature of the island fabric requires a consistent and horizontal approach in order to create a context favourable to a sustainable development process for such regions within the Union, thereby enabling their imbalances to be corrected by means of special treatment;

5. Notes that transport is one of the greatest problems, since the lack of infrastructure raises the cost of living, impedes the functioning of the economic system and makes access to information and communications more difficult;

6. Calls on the Community to continue to share in the financing of sea and air transport infrastructures and points out that pricing policy for users of air and sea transport is vital for development of the potential of island regions;

7. Calls for the adoption of prevention and support measures for the forest areas which have been rapidly destroyed, as well as for coordination between national and Community reafforestation measures since, for some islands, such forest areas constitute an important source of revenue through tourism;

8. Hopes that the integrated policy will be able to help the island regions and especially small islands - through active participation in development and the dissemination of new technologies and research - to give up specializing in a given sector and, instead, to involve themselves in other sectors;

9. Calls on the Commission to devise harmonized development models which will systematically encourage alternative types of tourism and take account of the fragility of the ecological system and of the limited nature of resources;

10. Calls for the sectoral policies which take account of the specific situation of the island regions be coordinated and for this coordination to take place through partnerships between Community, national and regional authorities;

11. Calls therefore for the adoption of specific measures in favour of island regions and flexible implementation of Community rules where such rules might have negative consequences for the economic and social development of such regions but without prejudice to the unified market and EU policies;

12. Calls for the incorporation, as a clause in or an annex to the new Treaty, of a specific declaration concerning the island regions, as a legal basis for the introduction of an integrated policy which takes account of the problems specific to the island regions and which guarantees their integration in conditions identical to those relating to the European mainland;

13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Intergovernmental Conference, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the authorities of the island regions and the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions.