COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION The outermost regions of the European Union: towards a partnership for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Date: 2012-06-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU regional policy, competitiveness, economic growth, education, job creation, peripheral region, population dynamics, population forecast, public health, regional aid, regional integration, single market, social development, sustainable development

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 20.6.2012 
SWD(2012) 170 final 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Accompanying the document 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION  

The outermost regions of the European Union: towards a partnership for smart, 
sustainable and inclusive growth 

{COM(2012) 287 final} 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 3 

2.  THE KEY STAGES  IN THE DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN 

THE EUROPEAN UNION  AND THE OUTERMOST REGIONS .......................... 3 

3.  RECENT  SOCIO-ECONOMIC  TRENDS 

IN  THE  OUTERMOST 

REGIONS.................................................................................................................... 5 

4.  THE  NEW  CHALLENGES:  EUROPE  2020  AND  THE  OUTERMOST 

REGIONS.................................................................................................................... 6 

5.  RESULTS  OF  THE  STUDY  ON  "GROWTH  FACTORS  IN  THE 

OUTERMOST REGIONS"......................................................................................... 9 

6.  RESULTS  OF  THE  STUDY  ON    DEMOGRAPHIC  AND  MIGRATION 

TRENDS IN THE OUTERMOST REGIONS.......................................................... 13 

6.1. Current situation of the OR ................................................................................ 13 

6.2. The impact of demographic trends by 2020 and 2030 ....................................... 17 

6.3. Risks and opportunities: from handicaps to strong points................................. 20 

6.4. Main recommendations to face demographic challenges in the OR.................. 22 

7.  ANNEXES ................................................................................................................ 23 

ANNEX I: Maps........................................................................................................ 23 

ANNEX II: Statistics on the socio-economic and geographical profiles of the 

OR (Source: Eurostat) ..................................................................................... 28 

ANNEX III: EU funds for the OR for the 2007-2013 period ................................... 30 

ANNEX IV: Regional Europe 2020 indicators......................................................... 31 

ANNEX V: Regional GDP and unemployment in the OR ....................................... 32 

ANNEX  VI:  Examples  of  Innovative  and  Research  Projects  in  Outermost 

Regions ............................................................................................................ 33 

 
 
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION 

This  document  is  a  European  Commission  staff  working  document  for  information 
purposes. It does not represent an official position of the Commission on this issue, nor 
does it anticipate such a position. This Staff Working Document is a background to  the  
Communication on "The outermost regions of the European Union: towards a partnership 
for smart, sustainable and inclusive  growth"1. Its objective is to provide supplementary 
information and analysis on the issues raised in the main body of the Communication. 

2. 

THE KEY STAGES  IN THE DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN 
UNION  AND THE OUTERMOST REGIONS 

Since 1999, the EU has formally recognised the geographical and economic specificity of 
the outermost regions (OR): remoteness, insularity, small size, difficult topography and 
climate,  and  economic  dependence  on  a  small  number  of  products.  These  specific 
characteristics  constitute  serious  obstacles  to economic  growth. Over the years, the EU 
has  adopted  different  programmes  and  measures2  in  an  effort  to  offset  the  negative 
economic  impact  of  these  obstacles  in  order  to  ensure  that  the  OR  can  share  in  the 
benefits of the single market3. In particular, over the period since 2004, the Commission 
has been seeking to set EU actions in favour of the OR within a strategic framework.  
In 20044, the Commission defined the key axes of a strategic approach which had three 
main  strands:  accessibility  and  reduction  of  the  effects  of  the  other  constraints; 
improving  economic  competitiveness;  and  promoting  regional  integration  with  their 
neighbouring regions and territories.  

In September 20075, the Commission recognised the need "to continue the effort to adapt 
EU  policies  and  for  specific  support  whenever  necessary".  The  Communication  also 
launched a public debate on the future of the European strategy for the OR and referred, 
inter  alia,  to  four  themes  with  long-term  implications  and  critical  to  the  OR  (climate 

1   COM(2012) 287 final, of 20.06.2012. 

2   Numerous European initiatives take account of the specific nature of these regions, particularly in the 
areas of competition (for example, aid authorised in the areas of transport, energy, etc.), taxation (for 
example, dock dues in the French OR, the "Arbitrio sobre las importaciones y entrega de mercancías" 
(AIEM)  tax  in  the  Canary  Islands,  and  the  reduced  rate  of  excise  duty  on  rum  produced  in  these 
regions, on local beer in Madeira and on certain liqueurs produced and consumed in Madeira and the 
Azores),  customs  policy,  agriculture,  research,  trade  or  transport,  in  order  to  try  and  offset  the 
handicaps specific to the remote nature of these regions. 

3 

4  

Since  the latest  EU  enlargements,  the  OR  as  a  whole  are  no  longer  part  of  the  group  of  poorest 
regions.  However,  in  relation  to  the  EU  average,  and  in  terms  of  GDP  per  capita,  most  of  the  OR 
remain among the least prosperous regions of the EU (see Section 3). 

 Commission  Communication:  "A  stronger  partnership  for  the  outermost  regions",  COM(2004)  343, 
26.5.2004);  (Commission  Communication  “on  a  stronger  partnership  for  the  outermost  regions: 
assessment and prospects”, COM(2004) 543, 6.8.2004. 

5  Commission  Communication  "Strategy  for  the  Outermost  Regions:  Achievements  and  Future 

Prospects" COM (2007)507 final, 12 September 2007. 

3 

 
                                                 
change,  demographic  change  and  migration  management,  agriculture,  and  maritime 
policy).  

In  October  20086,  the  Commission  drew  the  conclusions  from  the  public  debate  and 
proposed  a  new  paradigm  vis-à-vis  the  OR:  that  of  making  the  most  of  their  unique 
characteristics.  It  identified  certain  sectors  with  growth  potential  and  high  added-value 
and gave examples of concrete actions and projects. In addition, and to develop the new 
paradigm,  the  Commission  proposed  to  ensure  that  better  use  should  be  made  of  the 
existing  EU  instruments  and  put  forward  a  series  of  measures  for  the  2007-2013 
programming period, in the fields of climate change7, demographic change and migration 
management8,  agriculture,  maritime  policy,  strengthening  partnership  and  other 
horizontal  issues.  Among  the  latter,  it  proposed  to  organise  a  bi-annual  forum  for  the 
"outermost  Europe"9  and  to  launch  an  important  fact-finding  study  on  the  factors  for 
growth in the OR (see Section 5).  

Reflecting the partnership approach, the OR themselves have contributed constructively 
to the reflection on ways to improve economic performance and to break with the legacy 
of  the  past.  In  a  memorandum  adopted  in  200910,  the  OR  proposed  a  review  of  the 
actions undertaken since 1999 in favour of the OR, taking into account their development 
within  a  changing  European  and  global  context.  A  year  later,  in  May  2010,  the 
commitment  to  contribute  to  the  establishment  of  objectives  and  priorities  within  the 
framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy and for the post-2013 period, led to the signature 
of a joint memorandum on the part of the national authorities of Spain, France, Portugal 
together  with  their  OR11.  Meanwhile,  the  annual  Conferences  of  the  Presidents  of  the 
OR12, also attended by representatives of the three Member States, the Commission, the 
European  Parliament  and  the  Member  State  holding  the  rotating  EU  presidency,  have 

6   COM (2008) 642 final, 17.10.2008. 

7   Study  launched  in  March  2012  on  climate  change  and  the  OR.  Specific  contract  within  CLIMA 

framework contract DG CLIMA.A.4/FRA/2011/0027.  

8  

"Demographic and migration trends in the OR: impact on economic, social and territorial cohesion", 
of May 2012, by the "Institut National d'Études Démographiques" (INED).  

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/activity/outermost/publications_en.cfm 

9   The first forum took place on 27/28 May 2010. The second is scheduled  on 2-3  July 2012.   

10   Joint memorandum of the OR: ‘The Outermost Regions up to 2020’ (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 14 
October 2009).  The OR have also issued several joint contributions on different topics launched by 
the  Commission:  the  Green  Paper  on  the  TEN-T  (2009),  the  public  consultation  launched  by  the 
Communication  from  the  Commission  "A  sustainable  future  for  transport:  Towards  an  integrated, 
technology-led  and  user  friendly  system"  (2009);  the  public  consultation  on  the  Commission’s 
working document on the future Europe 2020 strategy (2010); the consultation on the new European 
energy strategy for 2011-2020 (2010); the public consultation "Towards a single market Act" (2011).  

11   "A renewed vision of the EU strategy for the OR", Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 7 May 2010.  

12   The  last  Conference  (the  17th)  took  place  in  November  2011  in  Martinique  and  resulted  in  a 
declaration focused on cohesion policy, agriculture, fisheries, R&I, energy, the single market and the 
"Solbes"  report,  state  aids,  impact  on  international  agreements  and  the  renewed  EU  strategy  for  the 
OR.   

4 

 
                                                 
 
resulted  in  official  joint  declarations  by  the  Presidents  addressed  to  the  European 
institutions.  

In  June  201013,  the  Council,  in  inviting  the  Commission  to  bring  forward  a 
communication on the OR, asked, firstly, for appropriate account to be taken of the needs 
and  opportunities  presented  by  the  OR  in  its  review  of  EU  policies  and,  secondly,  for 
work to continue on specific measures for these regions where appropriate, to reinforce 
partnership  and  to  systematically  evaluate  the  effects  of  the  EU  policies  on  the  OR,  in 
particular when carrying out impact assessment studies. 

In  October  2011,  Mr  Pedro  Solbes,  delivered  a  report  entitled  "Europe's  Outermost 
Regions and the single market: the EU's influence in the world"14. Mr Solbes put forward 
a  series  of  recommendations  on  ways  to  integrate  the  OR  into  the  single  market  by 
making better use of their assets and to attain the objectives of the EU 2020 Strategy.  

Finally, the MEPs from the OR in the European Parliament (EP) have also contributed to 
this debate  and submitted to  President  Barroso in July 2010 the "common platform" of 
the Conference of the MEPs from the OR15. In addition, the most recent contribution on 
the  EU  strategy  on  the  OR  under  Europe  2020  came  in  the  form  of  an  own  initiative 
opinion  of  the  European  Parliament  adopted  on  18  April  2012  on  the  "The  role  of 
Cohesion  Policy  in  the  outermost  regions  of  the  European  Union  in  the  context  of  EU 
2020"16.  

3. 

RECENT SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRENDS IN THE OUTERMOST REGIONS  

With  regard  to  overall  economic  performance  in  the  OR,  this  has  been  generally 
disappointing over recent years against a background of the wider European and global 
economic recession, although there are important differences between individual regions.  
As the Union entered the recession in 2009 with a contraction of 4.3% in levels of GDP, 
the national economies of Spain, France and Portugal contracted, respectively, by 3.7%, 
2.7%  and  2.9%.  In  2009,  the  contraction  was  strongest  in  the  Canary  Islands  (-4%), 
followed by Madeira (-3.6%). The contraction in the Azores compared to the other OR 
was less marked in 2009 with growth of -1%. There are no growth figures available for 
the French OR. 

13  

14  

15  

16  

3023rd FOREIGN AFFAIRS Council meeting, 14 June 2010. 

In  late  2010,  in  the  course  of  re-launching  the  single  market,  Commissioner  Mr  Barnier  asked 
former  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  of  Economy  and  Finance  of  Spain  and  former  European 
Commissioner, Pedro Solbes Mira, to  undertake a study on the place of the OR within the single 
market. This report is available at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/outermost_regions/index_en.htm .   

The eight MEPs from the OR are gathered in the "Conference of the MEPs from the OR of the 
European Parliament". The "common platform" underlines the importance of taking into account 
the specificities of the OR both in the external and internal EU policies and, where necessary, of 
making the necessary adaptations.  

Procedure reference 2011/2195(INI). The MEP rapporteur was Nuno Teixeira.  

5 

 
                                                 
 
 
In the OR as a whole, average GDP per inhabitant in 2009 was no higher than the 2006 
figure  relative  to  the  EU  (see  Annex  V).  In  three  OR,  it  even  fell  compared  to  the  EU 
average. With the exception of Madeira, GDP per head in all the other OR lies below the 
figure for the whole of the respective Member State. In a few cases, the gaps appear to be 
widening. In one case, French Guiana, average GDP per head is no higher relative to the 
EU average in 2009 than in 2000.  

At  least  some  of  the  OR  have  potential  opportunities  arising  from  their  proximity  to 
countries that have not had the same depth of recession as the EU as a whole. However, 
these  opportunities  appear  to  be  underexploited.  For  example,  foreign  trade  for  the 
French  OR  located  in  the  Caribbean,  situated  close  to  the  emerging  countries  of  South 
America,  remains  weak  (less  than  8%).  This  can  at  least  partly  be  explained  by  the 
difficulty of competing with producers in neighbouring countries, where salary costs, as 
well as social protection and other employment costs are often lower. Furthermore, the 
EU has been determined to resist short-termism and has insisted on maintaining the same 
high standards in terms of social and environmental rules in the OR as in the rest of the 
EU, but which do not apply in third countries. In general, between 2008 and 2009, the 
crisis caused a fall in imports and exports for the OR. The situation is slightly different in 
the  Canary  Islands,  where  the  economy  is  more  open  to  foreign  trade,  and  also  in  the 
Azores and Madeira.  

With regard to the labour market, since 2000 employment rates for the age group 20 to 
64  years  have  generally  increased  in  the  OR.  In  2009  and  2010,  however,  some 
experienced  a  rapid  reduction  of  employment.  In  the  Canary  Islands,  the  employment 
rate fell from 67% in 2007 to 55% in 2010. This is a drop of 12 % points compared to a 
drop of 7 % points at national level in Spain. During this period, the unemployment rate 
in  the  Canary  Islands  almost  tripled  between  2007  (10%)  and  2010  (29%).  Youth 
unemployment increased from 22% in 2007 to 52% in 2010. Female unemployment rose 
from  13%  to  28%  and  long  term  unemployment  went  from  only  2%  to  12%  between 
2007 and 2010 (see Annex V). 

In the French OR, the effects of the crisis on the labour market were relatively muted. In 
Guadeloupe and Reunion, the employment rate dropped by 1 % point between 2007 and 
2010,  while  in  Martinique  and  French  Guiana  it  increased  by  almost  1  %  point. 
Unemployment  rates  in  the  French  OR  remain  high,  but  did  not  change  substantially 
between 2007 and 2010. The only exception is Reunion, where unemployment increased 
by 5 % points to 29% between 2007 and 2010 becoming the European region with the 
highest unemployment rate. Female unemployment rates are about 1 % point above the 
total unemployment rate and only increased in Reunion between 2007 and 2010. Youth 
unemployment is very high in the French OR (between 42% and 59%), compared to 23% 
for all of France. In Martinique and Reunion, the youth unemployment rate respectively 
increased by 14% and 7 % between 2007 and 2010.  

In  the  Azores  and  Madeira,  employment  rates  are  high  (70%  and  72%)  and  barely 
changed between 2007 and 2010. Unemployment rates in 2010 were around 7%, which  
are lower than in Portugal as a whole (11%), although the figures for 2011 are likely to 
increase and be similar to those in mainland. Youth unemployment was around 17% in 
2010,  also  lower  than  the  national  figure  of  22%.  Female  unemployment  rates  in  2010 
were between 6% and 7% well below the national figure of 12%.  

6 

 
4. 

THE NEW CHALLENGES: EUROPE 2020 AND THE OUTERMOST REGIONS 

The  Europe  2020  strategy  for  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive  growth  contains  five 
headline  targets  to  be  achieved  by  the  EU  as  a  whole,  which  are  quantified  through  a 
number  of  indicators17.  This  limited  set  of  EU-level  targets  is  translated  into  national 
targets in each EU country, reflecting different situations and circumstances. While not 
regional as such, the targets have been analysed on a regional basis by the Commission 
in the Seventh Progress Report on economic, social and territorial cohesion ("The urban 
and regional dimension of Europe 2020")18.  The aim is not that all regions should reach 
all the national  or the  EU  targets19 but that significant progress should be made in that 
direction.  

In  assessing  the  position  of  the  OR  against  the  EU  2020  targets,  and  indeed  for  any 
region in the EU, the immediate constraint is that of the absence of certain statistical data 
below national level.    

As shown in the Seventh Progress Report, with regard to certain indicators, some of the 
OR20 feature among the ten EU regions most distant from their respective national 2020 
targets21. In this vein, the above mentioned study on demographic and migratory trends 
in the OR suggests that the Europe 2020 objectives are probably unrealistic for most of 
the  OR  within  the  timeframe,  for  example,  in  terms  of  improvements  in  schooling 
performances  or  employment  rates.  The  same  can  be  said  for  environmental  targets 
(except as regards renewable electricity production in some OR).  

Most of the OR are behind the EU averages in a range of social and economic indicators. 
This  is  notably  the  case  for  education  standards,  employment  rates,  GDP  per  capita 
(except  for  Madeira  and  the  Canary  Islands),  levels  of  health  care  and  environmental 
protection with a tendency for the OR to be more sensitive to the impact of the economic 
crisis than the Member States to which they belong.  

17   1)  Employment  (75%  of  the  20-64  year-olds  to  be  employed);  2)  R&D/innovation  (3%  of  the  EU's 
GDP  -  public and private combined - to be invested in R&D/innovation); 3) Climate change/energy 
(greenhouse  gas  emissions  20%  (or  even  30%,  if  the  conditions  are  right)  lower than 1990; 20% of 
energy from renewables;  20% increase in energy efficiency); 4) Education (reducing school drop-out 
rates below 10% and at least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education); 5) poverty / 
social exclusion (at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion). 

18   This  report  measures  the  distance  of  cities  and  regions  to  the  national  2020  targets  proposed  in  the 
national reform programmes. This distance to target depends on the disparities with the country, the 
ambition of the NRP and expected speed of change. 

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/official/reports/interim7/interim7_en.pdf  

19   For some regions, the distance to the target is simply too great. Furthermore, for some issues it is not 
realistic or desirable that all regions reach the same target. For example, R&D is highly concentrated 
in part due to benefits of clustering research. 

20   See Annex IV. 

21   In  tertiary  education  (the  Azores),  in early school leavers (the Azores and Madeira), in employment 
rate  (Reunion,  French  Guiana  and  Guadeloupe),  unemployment  rate  (Reunion,  Canary  Islands, 
Guadeloupe and Martinique), and risk of poverty or exclusion (Canary Islands).  

7 

 
 
                                                 
On  all  three  of  the  targets  related  to  smart  growth,  the  available  data  for  Spanish  and 
Portuguese  OR  show  that  they  have  a  low  score,  considerably  lower  than  for  their 
respective  country.  R&D  expenditure  is  only  around  0.5%  of  GDP,  which  is  probably 
linked to the lower shares of manufacturing in their economies. The share of population 
aged 30 to 34 with a tertiary education is some ten percentage points below the national 
average in the Canary Islands and the Azores, while in Madeira it is only slight below the 
Portuguese  average.  The  early  school  leavers'  rate  is  much  higher  in  the  Azores  (49%) 
and Madeira (41%) than the (already high) rate for Portugal 32%, which makes the target 
of reducing it to 10% by 2020 seem particularly daunting. For these three indicators no 
data for regions in France are available.  

The employment rate is well below the national 2020 target in the Canary Islands (55% 
compared to 74%) and the four French OR (between 50% and 55% compared to 75%). In 
the Azores and Madeira, however, employment rates are quite high (70% and 72%) and 
close to the national average (71%) and target (75%). 

The Europe 2020 strategy also aims to reduce poverty and exclusion. At-risk-of-poverty-
or-exclusion rates are unfortunately not available for the French OR. Nevertheless, it is 
likely that, where household income is only between 50% and 65% of the French average 
household income, poverty and exclusion rates are much higher than in mainland France.  

The Canary Islands have a household income which is 86% of the Spanish average. The 
at-risk-of-poverty rate  is  31%,  considerably  higher than the Spanish average of 21% in 
2010.  The  at-risk-of-poverty-or-exclusion  rate  is  also  higher  than  in  the  rest  of  Spain 
(35%) compared to 25% in 2010.  

The  two  Portuguese  OR  offer  a  contrast.  The  Azores  had  the  same  average  disposable 
household income as all of Portugal in 2008. But it has a higher at-risk-of-poverty rate of 
25%  compared  to  19%  for  all  of  Portugal  in  2005.  Madeira's  disposable  household 
income was 7% higher than that of Portugal as a whole in 2008. It had a lower at-risk-of-
poverty rate of 17% compared to 19% in 2005. So while the Azores have a higher share, 
Madeira  has  a  lower  share  of  poor  people.  However,  these  figures  do  not  take  into 
account regional differences in cost of living. 

Over  the  next  few  decades,  considerable  efforts  need  to  be  expended  to  improve  the 
social  and  economic  cohesion  of  these  regions.  Education  and  employment  creation 
through  new  investments  are  the  key  domains.  These  are  of  prime  importance  because 
education  shapes  opportunities  for  access  to  employment  for  young  people  arriving  on 
the  labour  market  and  increased  numbers  of  jobs  is  the  only  solution  to  maintaining 
effective dependency ratios at a socially affordable level.  

Job  creation  is  a  real  priority.  The  recommendations  of  the  European  Commission  to 
national  governments  in  its  communication  called  "Towards  a  job-rich  recovery"22 
published on 19 April 2012, concern also the ORs issues.  This proposal focuses on the 
demand-side of job creation, setting out ways to encourage hiring by reducing taxes on 
labour or supporting business start-ups more. It also identifies the areas with the biggest 
job potential for the future: the green economy, health services and ICT.  

22 http://ec.europa.eu/news/employment/120419_en.htm  

8 

 
                                                 
5. 

RESULTS  OF  THE  STUDY  ON  "GROWTH  FACTORS  IN  THE  OUTERMOST 
REGIONS"23 

A study entitled "Growth Factors in the OR" was launched by the Commission in 2009 to 
identify opportunities for economic growth in these remote territories of the EU. Its main 
objectives were: 1) to deepen the understanding of the process of economic development 
in the OR; 2) to identify strategies to improve competitiveness and reduce dependency on 
imports  and  external  public  transfers;  and  3)  to  identify  flagship  projects  in  line  with 
Europe 2020.  

The final report of the study points out that, despite their common structural constraints 
(remoteness,  small-scale  economies,  low  specialization,  much  higher  living  standards 
than  their  respective  geographic  neighbours,  large  flow  of  transfers  from  mainland, 
private  and  public  consumption  as  main  determinant  of  growth,  insufficient  private 
investments in competitive sectors, lack of qualified manpower and of specialised skills, 
lack  of  regional  integration,  etc.),  the  OR  also  have  considerable  endogenous  potential 
such  as  in  their  exceptional  biodiversity  and  marine  ecosystems  with  potential  for 
producing  renewable  energy,  in  advanced  agro-environmental  research  and  in  climate 
change research.  

Traditional and emerging sectors 24 

In recent years, official development strategies have begun to change, going beyond the 
old models of the past. 

Analysis  on  the  ground  (interviews  with  stakeholders  and  examination  of  official 
documents) demonstrates that new fields of development are being pursued, focusing on 
the  potential  of  each  region.  At  their  current  stage,  which is an initial stage, these new 
fields cannot offset structural imbalances, particularly in terms of employment. However, 
the new approach, focusing on the strengths of the OR, can be seen as the most effective 
way  of  producing  a  model  of  growth  that  is  less  dependent  and  more  competitive, 
provided that the OR succeed in developing these new fields in a competitive way. 

A strategy such as this leads to a development model that is similar in all the OR with 
comparable  potential,  which  could  lead  to  synergies  and  complementarities  which  are 
currently not apparent in any specific way. 

The current transition phase is based on a mix of old and new sectors, in which modern 
agriculture,  tourism  and  private  services  are  gradually  increasing  their  competitiveness 
and  gaining  access  to  wider  regional  markets.  In  addition,  the  OR  aim  to  develop  new 
sectors  in  industry  and  advanced  services  (e.g.  financial  services,  technology  transfer, 
etc.). With this end in view, significant public investment has been made in research and 
knowledge. 

23   Study  carried  out  by  Ismeri  Europa,  in  cooperation  with  ITD.eu  Europe,  commissioned  by  the 
European  Commission  in  2009  (Contract  No  2009.CE.16.0.AT.101)  and  delivered  in  March  2011. 
See: 

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/studies/pdf/rup_growth/rup_growth_sum_en.pdf 

24   Summary of the section of the study on added value sectors (traditional and emerging) and flagship 

projects.  

9 

 
                                                 
In economic terms, the concept of growth potential is connected to untapped resources, 
both  human  and/or  natural,  upon  which  a  region’s  production  process  can  rely, 
developing new technologies and skills or a new form of organising production factors. 
This definition fits well with the strategy needed in order to put the potential of the OR to 
good use. The mix of endogenous resources, new technologies and the way that factors 
are organised may give rise to a competitive advantage in the production of certain goods 
and services. 

Potential growth in the OR may derive both from restructuring the traditional sectors of 
tourism,  agriculture  and  fisheries  and  from  new  specialisations  resulting  from  the 
application of research and innovation  to old and new sectors. New skills, requiring high 
abilities, and well-focused, market-oriented applied research are necessary to sustain the 
process. 

Traditional sectors 

In the majority of the OR, a high proportion of the workforce is employed in agriculture, 
thus maintaining their unique environmental and cultural landscape and ensuring that the 
local food market is supplied as well as, to varying degrees, providing exports. Given the 
access and isolation problems, agriculture cannot be neglected if the OR wish to lessen 
their dependence on imports and preserve the landscape. Production and employment in 
agriculture  are,  however,  on  the  decline  and  can  only  be  strengthened  through  product 
differentiation  and  specialisation.  This  can  be  achieved  with  the  support  of  the  current 
investment in RTDI, by using new techniques and discoveries to expand the variety and 
quality  of  products  and  to  strengthen  integration  and  competitiveness  within  the  agri-
food manufacturing chain.  

Besides,  the  European  Commission  stressed  "the  extreme  richness  of  biodiversity  and 
cultural heritage, the particular geology and location of these regions providing Europe 
with  opportunities  to  push  back  the  boundaries  of  our  knowledge,  helping  to  find  new 
ways ahead to deal with the key challenges facing us such as globalization and climate 
change"25.  

This strategy to develop the regional potential linked to climate, environment and local 
know-how is pursued by most OR, with differing results and impact on regional revenue. 
Specific opportunities have emerged from alternative uses for sugar cane, the production 
of new varieties of fruit and vegetables, livestock, fish farming, etc. These developments 
can  be  enhanced  by  more  focused  and  more  market-oriented  research  and  by  forms  of 
clustering and networking designed to mobilise private-sector operators, who, in general, 
remain  weak.  The  current  balance  between  the  support  of  existing  production  and  the 
speeding up of changes in product types should be carefully considered by the authorities 
responsible for agricultural and fisheries policy. 

Tourism  has  significant  potential  in  most  OR  and  in  some  of  them  is  a  key  sector  for 
employment  and  external  trade.  It  is  based  on  an  exceptional  natural  and  cultural 
environment.  The  conflict  between  tourism  and  the  preservation  of  the  environment  in 
coastal  areas  and  greenbelt  areas  needs  to  be  handled  properly  by  the  regions  as  a 
precondition for making tourism development sustainable in the long term and allowing a 

25   Video-presentation  of  the  European  Commission  on  EU  action  to  support  its  Outermost  Regions, 

published on 19 March 2012. 

10 

 
                                                 
real growth in alternative tourism products. Although tourism is well-developed in most 
cases, its products are still traditional and suffer from increasing external competition; its 
potential is based on product differentiation to adapt better to demand segmentation, in 
contrast to standard mass tourism products. This should increase quality and profitability 
and should allow the range of tourism products offered by the OR to occupy new niches. 
At  present,  areas  of  specialisation  such  as  eco-tourism,  social,  cultural  or 
wellnesstourism are still in the process of being developed. The restructuring of the range 
of  tourism  services  on  offer  gives  an  opportunity  to  invest  in  new,  smaller  and  more 
flexible  establishments  for  hosting  tourists,  which  are  also  more  environmentally 
sustainable. In this respect, ad hoc vocational training is vital in most OR to ensure that 
products are differentiated and that their quality is upgraded. 

Emerging sectors  

A  host  of  new  sectors  and  products  may  emerge  from  the  application  of  RTDI  to  the 
development of the biodiversity which is a feature of the natural environment in the OR, 
from forest to marine eco-systems. A list of applications is envisaged by local authorities 
in the sphere of health, natural medicine and cosmetics, and many other sectors, such as 
food, energy or materials for eco-construction and wood. 

Many  dimensions  of  the  green  economy  can  be  developed  to  make  the  most  of  the 
exceptional natural environment and marine biodiversity of the OR. The development of 
competitive advantages in the area of the green economy is the most promising prospect 
in terms of growth and employment opportunities; it is also the most demanding in terms 
of  the  conditions  that  need  to  be  met,  ranging  from  the  availability  of  scientific  and 
technological  skills  to  the  presence  of  RTDI  targeted  at  the  market,  and  the  local 
exploitation  of  innovation  through  spin-offs  from  research.  On  the  whole,  these 
conditions  have  not  yet  been  met  and  current  regional  RTDI  policies  fall  short  of 
extending the research value chain to reach business applications, or to create a critical 
mass for developing new products and services. This difficulty is, however, common to 
most  of  the  EU’s  convergence  regions,  particularly  those  which  do  not  have  a 
knowledge-based  industry  able  to  lead  the  process.  Policies  of  this  kind  are  still  too 
young  and  it  will  only  be  possible  to  perceive  their  results  in  the  medium  term,  if  the 
above  conditions  are  met,  and  if  the  obstacles  are  overcome  by  fine-tuned  initiatives. 
Regional policies need to focus human and material resources, make them more market-
oriented, and not spread them over too many potential fields, preventing the emergence 
of the necessary critical mass. 

The OR have had serious problems in ensuring a regular supply of fossil fuels, and are 
penalised  by  high  provision  costs,  due  to  difficulties  in  access  and  distribution.  During 
recent  years,  the  development  of  renewable  energies  has  been  pursued  and  favourable 
natural and environmental conditions exist for developing various sources of renewable 
energy,  through  wind  power,  solar  and  photovoltaic  energy.  In  addition,  in  some  OR 
there is a growing expertise in RTDI that can be drawn upon. Island status and small size 
encourage a wide-scale development of small plants, which could aim to satisfy a much 
greater  share  of  demand,  given  the  higher  cost  of  traditional  sources  and  their 
unreliability. Currently, a number of experimental plants and good practices may lay the 
foundations  for  a  more  organised  and  better  planned  development  of  the  renewable 
energies that would be worth pursuing at regional level.  

Currently, environmental services dealing with water and waste are a problem, because 
these issues have not yet been resolved in a satisfactory way in most OR, despite efforts 

11 

 
to do so. Significant investments are needed to meet needs and provide the opportunity to 
create local skills and equipment that can be exported at regional level, provided that this 
is cost-effective. 

In  the  majority  of  the  OR,  maritime  services  and  port  activities  can  be  developed  in 
relation to cruise tourism and sailing tourism, ship maintenance and transit services. To 
make these developments financially sustainable they need to have a significant positive 
impact on the provision of local products and services. Most of these developments draw 
upon the geostrategic position of the islands in the Caribbean sea, in the Atlantic and in 
the southern Indian Ocean; however, they need to be supported, in most cases, by large 
investments  which,  if  not  properly  accompanied  or  preceded  by  the  appropriate 
feasibility and market studies, are in danger of ending up as under-utilised infrastructure 
and  imposing  a  high  opportunity  cost,  thus  preventing  the  regions  involved  from 
investing in other infrastructure that may perhaps be more useful. 

At  the  same  time,  personal  care  services  (health,  medical  and  social  care)  are  well 
developed and supported by skills and research. Their potential for growth in the OR is 
basically  linked  to  the  opportunity  to  export  these  services  and  the  skills  developed  on 
the local market. The geographical regions where the OR are located have a much lower 
standard of such services, and this creates opportunities. 

The  geopolitical  location  of  the  OR  and  especially  of  the  French  OR  and  the  Canary 
Islands allows for the development of geostrategic investments to exploit their proximity 
to key markets in the Caribbean, Latin America, West Africa and the Indian Ocean. This 
potential  needs  to  be  developed  through  an  initial  phase  of  regional  cooperation 
involving local stakeholders, firms and all private-sector operators; once this cooperation 
provides concrete opportunities to exploit the “gateway” function of the OR (production 
and external trade), external policies will need to take these opportunities into account. 

In  conclusion,  the  potential  of  these  sectors  and  products,  and  the  conditions  for  their 
development briefly described above, allow a positive view of the future, provided that 
the  policy  choices  resulting  from  them  are  followed  by  consistent,  systematic 
implementation  in  the  medium  and  long  term,  with  a  good  balance  between  a  radical 
improvement  of  the  traditional  sectors  and  the  creation  of  a  sufficient  space  for  new 
products and sectors to grow. 

Finding this balance is probably the most delicate part of the strategy, because resistance 
and obstacles to change are likely to arise and the policy carried out needs to ensure that 
change  does  actually  take  place,  and  does  so  with  sufficient  speed.  To  that  end, 
aspirations for change must be shared by the local stakeholders and by the social groups 
most  closely  involved,  through  the  creation  of  appropriate  partnerships.  Currently,  the 
new sectors are starting to emerge in different ways in the economies of the OR, but they 
have  not  yet  reached  any  significant  economic  size  and  are  not  represented  in  a 
comprehensive  set  of  “flagship  projects”  in  which  the  local  public  and  private 
stakeholders could invest their energies. 

In brief, the analysis demonstrates that the OR cannot be considered as a uniform whole. 
Disadvantages  can  be  dealt  with  satisfactorily  with  appropriate  policy  approaches. 
Minimising disadvantages is therefore not only desirable but also possible. 

Flagship projects 

12 

 
The study has identified some flagship projects whose implementation would contribute 
to  sustainable  growth.  Many  of  these  flagship  projects  relate  to  the  need  for  urgent 
interventions, mainly public, to realign the basic infrastructure of the OR to the level of 
that in the EU: transport, waste management and processing, tourism, education, etc. 

However, the list of projects reveals common features and needs: 

Supporting economic diversification, through activities linked to innovation, and 

- 
the structuring of key sectors (both traditional and emerging). 

The  wish  to  base  future  economic  growth  on  local  natural  resources  and  assets 

- 
(including agriculture, the sea and biodiversity). 

- 
The  inclusion  of  environmental  and  energy  concerns,  in  particular  the  need  to 
ensure  a  greater  self-sufficiency  in  energy  through  the  development  of  renewable 
energies and the promotion of energy efficiency. 

- 
The rebuilding of the tourism strategy in regions that are already tourist-oriented 
(the  Canary  Islands,  Madeira,  Guadeloupe,  Martinique)  and  a  greater  emphasis  on  the 
tourism sector in the other outermost regions (Azores, French Guiana, Réunion), against 
the backdrop of the economic crisis, which has a negative effect on the attractiveness of 
the OR. 

6. 

RESULTS  OF  THE  STUDY  ON    DEMOGRAPHIC  AND  MIGRATION  TRENDS  IN  THE 
OUTERMOST REGIONS

26 

A  study  entitled  "Demographic  and  migration  trends  in  the  OR:  impact  on  economic, 
social and territorial cohesion" was launched by the Commission in 2009 to contribute to 
enhancing knowledge of these phenomena by providing a tool able to offer for each OR: 
In  more  concrete  terms,  this  study  should  (a)  take  stock  of  demographic  change  and 
migration  (demographic  situation,  education,  employment,  economy,  health,  life 
conditions,  environment  and  natural  resources);  (b)  analyse  the  impact  of  demographic 
and  migration  trends,  in  the  short  and  medium-term,  on  the  economic,  social  and 
territorial cohesion;  and (c) highlight  the  main demographic trends and their  impact  on 
the  economic  and  social  cohesion  of  these  territories,  in  particular,  the  threats  and 
opportunities posed by these phenomena, taking into account their specific constraints. 

6.1. Current situation of the OR   

Demographic trends 

The  OR  are  a  very  heterogeneous  group  and  share  similar  characteristics  with  their 
mainland countries. The natural growth of the population compared to the EU average is 
below in Portugal and Madeira and only higher in Azores, Spain and the Canary Islands. 
In contrast, natural growth in France and the French OR is higher than the UE average 
because of higher fertility levels. The migratory flows have a strong effect on the shape 

26   Carried  out  by  the  "Institut  National  d'Études  Démographiques"  (INED),  commissioned  by  the 

Commission in 2009, and delivered in May 2012. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
of  the  age  pyramids  of  the  OR.  The  Spanish  and  Portuguese  OR  have  become 
immigration destinations but the economic crisis deeply affected migration. Meanwhile, 
Martinique,  Guadeloupe,  and  Reunion  Island  receive  only  moderate  number  of 
international  migrants  in  contrast  to  French  Guiana,  and  periodically  St  Martin,  where 
the crisis has so far relatively little the effect. 

The  flows  of  irregular  migration  had  considerably  decreased  prior  to  the  crisis  and  are 
currently  low  scale  in  Canaries.  In  French  Guiana,  St  Martin  (and,  to  a  lesser  extent, 
Guadeloupe),  irregular  migration  seems  less  dependent  on  the  economic  climate  and 
continues at a significant level. 

As  regards  the  OR’  ‘internal’  migration  within  countries  or  the  EU,  the  French  OR 
experience much higher ‘pendular’ migration with their mainland metropolises than the 
other OR. However, numbers of EU migrants, mostly retirees from Northern EU states, 
are higher in East Atlantic OR. 

The migration balance is slightly negative in the French Antilles, but it is highly positive 
in  St  Martin  and  French  Guiana.  It  is  somewhat positive in Azores and Madeira and  it 
has recently witnessed a steep decline in the Canaries, due to above mentioned factors. 
Ageing is one of the major problems facing the French Antilles and the eastern Atlantic 
OR.  In  contrast,  the  main  challenge  facing  French  Guiana  and  St  Martin  is  population 
growth. Meanwhile Reunion Island faces both ageing and population growth, but at more 
moderate levels. 

These  population  dynamics,  and  the  structural  changes  the  OR  experience,  have 
important  consequences  in  several  socio-economic  domains:  increasing  needs  in 
education  services  and  job  creations  for  populations  experiencing  rapid  growth  in  the 
numbers  of  young  people;  the  possible  drop  in  the  economically  active  population  and 
rises in health costs for ageing population. 

Education 

In  socio-economic  terms,  the  eastern  Atlantic  OR  appear  more  similar  to  the  continent 
than  the  French  OR  to  mainland  France.  In  comparison  to  the  continent,  a  far  higher 
proportion  of  young  people  do  not  complete  their  secondary  education  and  skill  levels 
are lower. 

Illiteracy,  failure  or  school  dropout  reflects  a  relative  inadequacy  of  the  education 
system, both in quantitative and qualitative terms. The intergenerational reproduction of 
poverty  has  an  impact  on  the  cultural  environment  and  thus  on  the  relationship  to 
education.  Education  and  the  acquisition  of  skills  remain  severe  problems  in  the  OR. 
Despite the immigration of  skilled people from the continent or from other parts of the 
EU, the proportion of young adults (30- 34) with higher education diplomas is lower than 
in the mainland states, partly owing to the sizeable emigration of educated native-born. 

Migration  therefore  has  a  highly  selective  influence  on  the  skill  levels  of  the  working 
population in the OR. The most skilled leave the French OR whereas a majority of young 
people  with  few  skills  and  less  potential  for  finding  employment  remain  in  the  region. 
This double selective process partly explains the high level of unemployment, the social 
exclusion of a high proportion of young people and the continuing need for training. 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Employment 

The low education level of a sizeable section of the OR populations has repercussions on 
their opportunities within the labour market. In turn, this has an impact on the economic 
development of these regions. The situation has worsened since the 2008 crisis. 

Whilst employment remains higher in the Azores and Madeira than in Portugal or than 
the EU average, in the Canaries, in relation to Spain the economic crisis set off a fall in 
employment. As a result, unemployment levels in the Canaries are almost at the level of 
those in the French OR, with rates of about 50% amongst the young active population. 
Despite  a  recent  increase,  unemployment  remains  at  moderate  levels  in  Azores  and 
Madeira. 

In  2010,  apart  from  the  Azores  and  Madeira,  employment  rates  amongst  the 
economically  active  population  (20-64)  were  much  lower  than  the  EU  average.  The 
deficit in female employment rates is particularly strong in French Guiana, the Azores, 
Reunion  Island  and  the  Canaries  shows  show  that  it  is  possible  to  increase  female 
employment. 

Reducing  unemployment  and  the  exclusion  of  young  people  from  the  labour  market 
would  be  a  means  to  increasing  employment  levels.  Furthermore  integrating  young 
people into the labour market improves their personal social status and prevents them to 
fall  further  in  ‘social  rupture’  and  violence.  Employment  structure  in  the  OR,  with  its 
heavy reliance on the service sector, does not provide many opportunities for less-skilled 
people. 

What is at stake with the ageing of the population here is the future increase of effective 
dependency  ratios,  the  burden  falling  on  the  actively  occupied  population.  Such 
dependency ratios constitute a direct threat to the funding of social policies in the OR in 
a context in which social policy is decreasingly funded by central state.  

Economy 

Until 2000-2001, the GDP per inhabitant in the OR grew rapidly, with average rates of 
around  6%.  (even  8%  in  the  Azores  and  11%  in  Madeira).  French  Guiana  has  been  an 
exception,  with  far  lower  rates,  not  due  to  lower  economic  growth  but  to  faster 
population growth than in the other OR. 

Economic  growth  slowed  in  all  the  regions  after  2002,  levelling  off  at  around  4% 
annually  until  2007  (but  at  6.6%  in  Madeira).  This  growth,  higher  than  in  mainland 
states,  reduced  the  gap  between  OR  and  the  continent.  From  2008  onwards,  the  crisis 
reversed the trend, except in the Azores and Madeira, and the difference between the EU 
and the OR started to increase again. 

The productivity is lower in the OR, especially in the French OR, economic convergence 
towards the EU averages is far from being achieved, apart from in Madeira, and is being 
further hampered by the financial and economic crisis. 

The economies of the OR are focused on the service sector, which represent over 80% of 
added  values.  In  French  Guiana  and  the  Azores,  this  is  slightly  lower,  at  75%.  Whilst 
tourism  plays  an  important  role  in  the  economies  of  Madeira  and  the  Canary  Islands, 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
with a rate of 4 tourists per inhabitant per year, the sector is little developed yet in the 
other  OR.  Agriculture  and  the  food  industry  are  the  primary  export  sector  in  the  OR. 
They count for 50% of exports on average, 70% for the Azores and Reunion Island, but 
only 15% for the Canaries. The low added value of these exports means that they cannot 
counterbalance imports. 

There is a deficit in trade balance in all the OR, with coverage rates scarcely above 50% 
in the Azores and Madeira, 22% in the Canary Islands and 10% or less in the French OR. 
Exports  are  principally  directed  to  the  continent  and  the  proportion  directed  to 
neighbouring  states  remains  minimal  due  to  the  fact  that  these  are  usually  developing 
countries. 

Households and housing 

Growth in the number of households has been greater than that of the overall population. 
This growth is linked to ageing and to the numbers of young people leaving the parental 
home. The result is a decrease in household size.  

Whilst economic growth over the last two decades has helped in reducing the quantity of 
poor housing in the OR, there still remain a substantial proportion of dwellings lacking in 
the basic utilities (electricity, running water, sewage system).  

The  proportion  of  social  housing  units  is  below  or  similar  in  mainland.  However,  the 
demand  from  eligible  households  is  higher,  owing  to  greater  levels  of  poverty.  Thus 
entitlements to public housing outweigh available stock. This is for example the case for 
single parent families in all OR (except for Azores), more frequent in the French Antilles 
and  French  Guiana.  These  households  are  proportionately  more  dependent  on  social 
assistance than others. Such living conditions have repercussions on children’s education 
and often lead to intergenerational reproduction of social exclusion. 

Health 

The  life  expectancy  at  birth  is  less  in  the  OR  than  on  the  continent,  except  for 
Martinique.  Infant  and  maternal  mortality  rates  are  higher  in  the  French  OR  than  in 
mainland France. 
Mortality caused by cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, digestive problems and 
tumours is far higher in the Azores, Madeira and Reunion Island than on the continent. 
Endocrinal and metabolic diseases are a major problem, the rates of mortality as a result 
of these diseases being at least twice as high in all the OR as on the continent. 

These findings are a cause for concern, since cardiovascular and endocrinal diseases are 
chronic diseases, linked to life style and environment. Furthermore, the cost to the health 
system is high and preventative health measures are in their early stages in the OR. In the 
French  OR,  the  extension  of  these  ‘lifestyle  diseases’  is  taking  place  in  parallel  to  the 
continuing prevalence of infectious diseases.  

The eastern Atlantic OR and Reunion Island are less affected than the continent by the 
HIV virus, the French Antilles, and French Guiana and St Martin especially, have high 
rates  of  HIV  infection.  Migrant  groups  are  particularly  affected.  Alcoholism  is  more 
often  a  cause  of  mortality  in  OR  than  in  the  continent,  notably  in  the  French  OR,  and 
especially  in  Reunion;  however,  it  remains  a  minor  cause  of  death  in  the  Canaries. 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Similarly,  in  the  French  Caribbean  OR  (French  Antilles  and  French  Guiana),  traffic 
accidents are a higher cause of mortality than on the mainland, but this is not so for the 
Canaries and Madeira. 
Part of the excess mortality in the OR can be attributed to the lower education levels. In 
the French OR, unemployment and social exclusion combine with this, as people delay 
consulting  a  doctor  until  their  illness  is  at  an  advanced  stage.  All  the  OR  populations 
would  benefit  from  wider  information  campaigns  on  lifestyle-related  diseases  and  risk 
behaviours  and  from  health  promotion  measures.  To  this  end,  the  capacity  of  public 
health actors need to be strengthened. 

Only the eastern Atlantic regions have similar health resources to those on the continent 
as  regards  hospital  beds,  as  well  as  for  the  numbers  of  nurses  per  inhabitant.  The 
situation is worse in the French OR. Demographic growth means that it will be difficult 
to catch up with the national levels. 

Environment – energy 

Energy  consumption  (fuel  and  electricity)  per  inhabitant  has  rapidly  grown  in  the  OR 
during  the  last  two  decades  owing  to  the  ‘catching  up’  process.  Economic  growth  in 
general has contributed to this.  

The OR are highly dependent on outside energy sources. This is the case for virtually all 
fuel  supplies  but  less  so  for  electricity,  as  some  is  produced  locally  from  renewable 
sources:  hydraulic,  geothermal,  wind  power  and  solar.  This  policy  development  to 
renewable energy opens the way for new technology such as wave power. The aim is to 
move  towards  greater  autonomy  in  relation  to  energy.  In  some  OR,  the  EU  2020 
objective  of  20%  of  energy  from  renewable  sources  has  already  been  surpassed  as 
regards  electricity  production:  70%  of  French  Guiana’s  electricity  is  generated  from 
renewable sources, 33% for Reunion Island and 28% for the Azores. But the likelihood 
that  similar  progress  can  be  made  for  fuel  in  sufficient  quantities  is  slim.  There  is  an 
insufficient land area for the production of bio-fuel. Production of bio-fuel from seaweed 
is still at the experimental stage. 

Provision  of  water  does  not  present  major  problems.  There  are  other  problems  such  as 
water loss within the distribution networks; or contamination at times of heavy tropical 
storms.  Furthermore,  there  is  still  no  comprehensive  collecting  system  of  wastewater. 
Recycling, transformation of organic waste into compost and energy recycling (Madeira 
and  Martinique,  notably)  are  becoming  more  common.  Lastly,  tropical  environments 
often fall victim to natural disasters. Islands will be increasingly vulnerable to rising sea 
levels. 

6.2. The impact of demographic trends by 2020 and 2030 

Demography 

Until 2020, the populations of the Antilles and Eastern Atlantic OR will grow moderately 
(3%).  This  growth  will  slow  over  subsequent  years  and  even  come  to  a  halt  or  even 
decline in the Canary Islands and in Madeira. In contrast, growth will continue at a high 
level  in  Reunion  Island  and  particularly  in  St  Martin  and  French  Guiana,  with 
respectively 11%, 28% and 39% more inhabitants in 2020 than in 2010. 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The population of the OR is characterized by a demographic ageing, with a slow drop of 
the  proportion  of  young  people  and  a  rapidly  increasing  older  population.  The  French 
Antilles will be the first regions to be concerned by the process. By 2020, 20% of their 
population  will  be  aged  65  or  over  and  the  proportion  will  reach  28%  by  2030.  In  the 
eastern Atlantic, the proportion will be approximately 15% in 2020 and 20% in 2030. By 
2020,  senior  citizens  will  outnumber  the  young  age  groups  in  the  French  Antilles,  the 
Canaries  and  Madeira,  Azores  joining  the  group  by  2025.  The  age  structures  announce 
the continued growth of health spending linked to population ageing. French Guiana and 
St Martin will experience the opposite. The rapid growth of the population will result in a 
wide-based  age  pyramid,  indicating  that  there  will  be  an  increase  in  perinatal  health 
needs and in education. Reunion Island will combine both sets of specific needs.  

Education 

All  the  OR  will  continue  to  have  sizeable  education  needs  in  order  to  increase  skill 
levels. There is a general need to improve the quality of education at all level, to reduce 
illiteracy  and  falling  behind  at  school.  A  real  effort  must  be  made  to  ensure  that  post-
secondary studies available locally, outside the university system. 

In  Portugal,  compulsory  education  will  have  to  be  extended  to  the  secondary  level  in 
order  to  increase  skill  levels.  In  particular  in  French  Guiana,  Reunion  island  and  St 
Martin  the  growth  in  the  number  children  will  bring  a  challenge  to  the  objective  to 
provide universal compulsory education. 

Employment 

The ageing populations of the OR will affect the active population. It will result in a drop 
in  numbers  of  economically  active  people  in  the  Canaries  and  the  French  Antilles  and 
from  2020  in  the  Portuguese  OR.  The  economically  active  population  thus  will  be 
smaller and older in age. 

The EU 2020 objective for an employment rate of 75% among the 20-64 year olds can 
only be met if there are sufficient jobs. In the Canaries, the economy must return to its 
pre-crisis  level  in  order  to  achieve  this  objective.  In  the  French  OR,  given  the  weak 
employment rates, the  first  stage could be  to  aim for  the  current EU  average  (69%)  by 
2020. It would be necessary to bring unemployment levels down to a structural minimum 
of 3% for the current EU average to be met in the French Antilles. For the same thing to 
happen  in  Reunion  Island  and  French  Guiana,  unemployment  would  have  to  be  totally 
absorbed. Only the Azores, and perhaps Madeira, seem in a position to achieve the EU 
2020 objective, but this is only if austerity policies do not reduce employment. 

Ageing population and the weakness of employment rates in the French OR and in the 
Canary Islands will result in a worsening of effective dependency ratios. In the absence 
of any increase in employment by 2030, the French OR will have almost three dependant 
people for one in work. Such levels are incompatible with the drawing up of social policy 
measures.  Employment  growth  therefore  is  vital  in  the  French  OR,  and  of  reasonable 
importance in the Canary Islands. 

Households – housing 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Over  the  next  two  decades,  household  growth  will  continue  to  outweigh  population 
growth. Household heads will be older. Those aged 65 years or more will increase in all 
the OR and particularly in the French Antilles (from 25% in 2010 to 43% in 2030). In the 
Canaries, the Azores and Madeira, the proportion will reach 30%. 

Ageing and also divorce will accelerate the increase in the proportion of female-headed 
households.  Such  changes  will  accentuate  the  need  for  social  assistance  and  also  for 
training from women heading single parent households, who have particular difficulties 
in finding work. 

Continued growth in the number of households will have an impact on the demand for 
housing.  The  growth  in  the  number  of  housing  units  will  be  accompanied  by  a  rise  in 
energy consumption and in household waste treatment. Demand for new housing offers 
an  invitation  to  developing  employment  opportunities  in  two  sectors,  construction  and 
environment, with the so-called ‘green housing’. Above all, it is an opportunity to give a 
new impulse to economic activities, trades and services. 

Health 

Future trends in health costs will be principally determined by the ageing population. The 
population aged 85 years and over will grow more quickly than 75 years and over group 
in French Antilles and in the eastern Atlantic. In the other OR overall population increase 
is expected. In general, health costs will rise due to overall ageing. All the regions suffer 
from  a  lack  of  medical  personnel.  This  is  one  of  the  major  challenges  facing  the  OR. 
Increased investments in the training of medical personnel, in particular to help them to 
adapt to technogical changes (telemedicine, eHealth) and to ageing, will be crucial, and 
could be supported from the European Social Fund.  

Demographic  changes  could  also  allow  some  economies  of  scale.  Recourse  to  modern 
techniques such as telemedicine, which will need considerable investment, appears as a 
major  solution  to  combat  unequal  access  to  health  care  in  the  OR.  Telemedicine 
represents a particularly useful solution in archipelagos and areas where the population is 
highly dispersed or insufficiently numerous to permit the presence of specialists. At the 
same time,  investments in community-based care centres or hospitals may be necessary. 
For instance, to compensate for the shortage of medium- and long-stay hospital beds, a 
problem that specifically concerns the French OR, increased investments are required to 
reduce the need for patient transfers to mainland France. 

Environment – energy 

Islands  environments  are  fragile.  Their  limited  size  means  that  large  areas  of  their 
territory and coastlines rapidly can become polluted. Environmental protection, including 
that  of  sea  life,  is  required  so  that  the  population  can  enjoy  a  healthy  habitat,  the 
biodiversity be maintained and so that the OR can be attractive tourist destinations. There 
is a need for greater efforts towards sustainable agricultural practices, sewage treatment 
and disposal of household and industrial waste. 

Population and household growth will result in increased energy demands. In past years, 
the  main  difficultly  has  been  in  maintaining  the  proportion  of  energy  from  renewable 
sources  in  the  face  of  increasing  demand.  Investment  has  been  made  periodically  to 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
increase the use of renewable sources, (ie: geothermal power stations or the recycling of 
bagasse). 

The  demand  for  fuel  could  rapidly  be  decreased  through  the  development  of  hybrid  or 
electrically powered vehicles. 

Environmental  conservation  also  calls  for  more  efficient  sewage  and  waste  disposal 
systems. Improvement of the networks will need considerable investment. Urbanization 
programmes,  counteracting 
the  habitat,  would  facilitate  such 
improvements. 

the  dispersal  of 

6.3. Risks and opportunities: from handicaps to strong points 

Cohesion 

The demographic advantage of young age structures that the outermost regions hold over 
continental  Europe  is  fast  diminishing  (except  Reunion  Island,  St  Martin  and  French 
Guiana). The dependency ratios will increase.  

Most of the regions are behind the EU average as regards social and economic indicators. 
This  is  notably  the  case  for  education  standards,  employment,  the  GDP  (except  for 
Madeira),  health  care  and  environmental  protection.  OR  need  a  sustained  effort  in  all 
domains in order to aim for better social equality and economic development. The effect 
of the economic crisis has been stronger than in the continent. The EU 2020 objectives 
are  thus  out  of  reach  for  most  of  the  OR,  be  it  in  terms  of  schooling  performances  or 
employment, environmental targets (except for electricity production in some OR). 

Over  the  next  few  decades,  considerable  efforts  must  be  done  in  the  key  domains 
(education  and  employment).  Education  shapes  opportunities  to  access  to  employment 
for  young  people.  Increased  numbers  of  jobs  is  the  only  solution  to  maintain  effective 
dependency  ratios  at  a  socially  affordable  level.  Education  is  thus  a  priority  target  for 
investment. 

There are significant differences between the various sections of the population in terms 
of skill levels and access to employment. Furthermore single parent families have very 
vulnerable economic circumstances.  

The analysis has revealed that the French OR, particular French Guiana and, to a lesser 
extent,  Reunion  Island,  are  faced  with  a  greater  challenge  to  improve  social  and 
economic cohesion than the other OR. 

Risks and opportunities 

The major problems in most of the regions are linked to ageing. French Guiana and St 
Martin – have to face the opposite challenge of rapid population increase. Reunion Island 
is in the unusual position of being faced by both challenges at the same time. These three 
OR  are  the  last  European  regions  to  be  experiencing  high  fertility  whilst  beginning  to 
feel the effects of ageing. 

Theoretically, demographic ageing implies that spending must be directed more towards 
the older groups rather than toward the young. This will be more complicated to achieve 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
in the OR because of the need to invest more in education and to increase the number of 
jobs. 

The challenges mentioned above can be considered as opportunity on which to base new 
initiatives, rather than risks. For example: ageing presents an opportunity to set up less 
costly management of dependant persons; housing demand should encourage activity in 
the building industry, use of new environmentally friendly technologies and new types of 
skill;  public  transport  should  be  developed  to  ease  youth’s  access  to  training  and  to 
reduce  the  isolation  of  the  elderly.  Numerous  jobs  can  be  created  in  the  environmental 
protection  sector.  The  demand  for  energy  opens  the  way  for  creating  new  highly 
qualified  jobs  in  the  renewable  energy  sector.  Demographic  change  can  also  allow 
economies of scale. However, some regions will find it difficult to catch up in terms of 
service  provision  and  infrastructure.  In  the  regions  with  highly  dispersed  population, 
telemedicine,  small-scale  and  local  production  of  energy,  through  solar  or  wind  power 
are very good options. 

The  OR  should  take  advantage  of  these  various  challenges  to  position  themselves  as 
regions  of  excellence  and  contribute  to  the  development  of  new  technologies  in 
partnership with the continent or with neighbouring states or regions. They can become 
laboratories for testing techniques and their specific application in tropical environments. 
The  same  logic  can  be  applied  to  the  prevention  of  natural  risks,  as  well  as  to  the 
production  of  high  added-value  products  from  agriculture  or  farm-fishing.  These 
products  and  know-how  could  be  exportable  to  developing  countries  and  emergent 
countries in their geographical region. 

However,  it  is  unlikely  that  the  OR  will  ever  achieve  true  independence  in  relation  to 
food  or  energy  supplies,  owing  to  their  limited  surface  areas  and  resources.  It  is 
preferable in this instance to talk of ‘food security’ or ‘energy security’ by encouraging 
as  far  as  possible  the  development  of  local  production  combined  with  more 
diversification  and  the  safeguarding  of  supplies  at  the  regional  level  (regional 
connections or agreements). 

In  the  field  of  research  and  innovation  (ie:  biodiversity  of  renewable  energy,  etc), 
partnerships must be established with teams on the continent and international research 
centres, especially those located in neighbouring states, in order to achieve the status of 
‘regions of excellence’. The same is applied for the commercialization of the results of 
these innovations. Individually, the OR do not have the sufficient capacity and resources 
to achieve this. 

The  OR  must  be  placed  at  the  centre  of  regional  cooperation  policies  in  order  to  meet 
these challenges. These regions should have the means to improve their trade links with 
neighbouring  countries,  and  have  access  to  European  funding  in  their  regional 
partnerships. They also need legislation, adapted to the local context of small enterprises 
that can help small businesses participate in the research and development sector.  

Finally, it is necessary to improve the availability of statistical data to assist in planning 
and management of initiatives. 

6.4. Main recommendations to face demographic challenges in the OR 

1.  Training schemes to assist access to employment; 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.  Investment  in  the  research  and  development  the  domains  of  food  and  energy 

security;  

3.  Development of health care services (to the elderly, in relation to chronic diseases 

and in promoting good health and preventing diseases); 

4.  Integration of immigrants (for long term internal social cohesion). 

22 

 
7. 

 ANNEXES 

ANNEX I: Maps 

23 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26 

 
 
 
 
27 

 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX II: Statistics on the socio-economic and geographical profiles of the OR (Source: Eurostat)27  

DEMOGRAPHY 

EDUCATION 

GEOGRAPHY 

Region 

Population 
2009 (1000) 

Population 
density  
2009 
(inhab/km²) 

% population 
aged:     2010 
(*French regions 
2009) 

Educational attainment 
25-64 (% of total), 2010 
(*French regions 2009) 

Distance from the 
capital of MS 

(km) 

<15 

15-64  65+ 

Lower 
secondary 

Tertiary

Distance from 
mainland 

(km) 

Area (Km2) 

EU27 

Spain 

Canary 
Islands 

France 

500 334,6 

116,3 

15.6 

67.2 

17.2 

45 929,5 

91.1 

14.9 

68.2 

16.8 

2 086 

280.1 

15.4 

71.6 

13.0 

64 495,8 

101.9 

18.5* 

65.0*  16.5*

Guadeloupe 

450,7 

264.7 

22.0* 

64.6*  13.4*

Martinique 

398,9 

353,6 

20.0* 

65.4*  14.6*

French 

228,8 

2.7 

35.1* 

60.9* 

4.0* 

27.3 

47.4 

52.2 

29.2 

48.6* 

47.4* 

52.1* 

25.9 

30.7 

23.8 

2 000 

250 

29.0 

18.5* 

6 800 

18.8* 

6 850 

17.7* 

7 500 

560 

410 

n a 

4 324 782 

504 782 

7 447 

545 965 

1628 

108 

83 846 

27  Most recent available data validated by Eurostat. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
Guiana 

Reunion 

Portugal 

Azores 

Madeira 

826,7 

330.2 

25.6* 

66.1* 

8.3* 

51.5* 

16.9* 

9 400 

1 700 

10 632,5 

115.4 

15.2 

66.9 

17.9 

245,1 

105.5 

18.5 

69.0 

12.5 

247,3 

298.7 

17.4 

69.6 

13.0 

68.1 

78.4 

72.8 

15.4 

9.9 

1 500 

1 450 

13.0 

1 000 

660 

2 510 

92 072 

2 322 

795 

29 

 
 
 
ANNEX III: EU funds for the OR for the 2007-2013 period 

(the amounts in the table are expressed in thousand euros) 

European  Regional  Development 
Fund 

European Social Fund 

European Agricultural Fund for 
Rural Development 

The Azores 

Canary Islands 

Guadeloupe 

French Guiana 

Madeira 

Martinique 

Réunion 

Total 

966.300 

1.019.300 

542.700 

305.100 

320.500 

417.100 

1.014.300 

4.585.300 

190.000 

117.300 

185.200 

100.000 

125.400 

97.800 

516.900 

274.000 

154.000 

142.000 

76.500 

179.000 

103.200 

329.400 

1.332.600 

1.258.100 

*Saint-Martin has become an OR since 1 December 2009. Despite this new status of outermost region, it is currently not foreseen at Eurostat to collect data for Saint-Martin. Saint-
Martin being an overseas collectivity, it is anticipated it will continue to belong to NUTS level 3 region Guadeloupe (FR910). NUTS level 3 corresponds to French administrative level 
of "départment" and is the lowest territorial level for regional data collection. Only in case France will attribute the status of "département" to Saint Martin, the creation of a new NUTS 
level 3 region will be possible and the corresponding data collection initiated. 

 
 
 
 
ANNEX IV: Regional Europe 2020 indicators 

31 

 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX V: Regional GDP and unemployment in the OR28 

Region (NUTS 2006)

EU27
SPAIN
Canarias
FRANCE (continued)
Départements d'Outre-Mer
Guadelupe
Martinique
Guyane
Réunion
PORTUGAL
Açores
Madeira

Regional GDP in the European Union

GDP 2009 
Mio. EUR

GDP 2009 
Mio. PPS

GDP per capita 
2009, PPS

GDP per capita 
2009, PPS 
EU27=100

GDP per capita 
2007-09, PPS

GDP per capita 
2007-09, PPS 
EU27=100

11.751.419
1.047.831
40.290
1.889.231
34.010
8.038
7.753
3.268
14.951
168.504
3.650
5.140

11.751.419
1.112.883
42.791
1.163.944
29.513
6.975
6.728
2.836
12.974
199.837
4.329
6.095

23.500
24.200
20.500
25.400
15.500
15.500
16.900
12.400
15.700
18.800
17.700
24.600

100,0
103,2
87,3
108,2
66,0
65,9
71,8
52,8
68,8
80,0
75,2
104,9

24.500
25.400
21.900
26.300
15.900
16.100
17.500
12.500
16.000
19.300
17.900
25.200

100,0
103,9
89,4
107,6
65,0
65,6
71,6
51,1
65,4
78,9
73,2
103,0

Regional unemployment in the European Union

Region (NUTS 2006)

Total

Males

Females

15-24years old

2009

2010

2010

2010

2010

8,9
EU27
18,0
SPAIN
26,2
Canarias
9,5
FRANCE
24,4
D é partements d'Outre-Mer
23,4
Guadelupe
21,8
Martinique
20,2
Guyane
27,1
Réunion
9,5
PORTUGAL
6,7
Açores
7,6
Madeira
( ) Data wi th reduced reli abi lity due to s ampl e s ize.

u Data not publ is hed due to s mal l sample si ze.

9,6
20,1
28,7
9,7
25,2
23,8
21,0
21,0
28,9
10,8
6,9
7,4

9,6
19,7
29,2
9,3
23,8
21,4
19,7
(17,7)
28,0
9,8
6,7
8,6

9,6
20,5
28,1
10,1
26,7
26,0
22,2
24,9
30,0
11,9
u
u

20,9
41,6
51,7
23,4
54,2
(55,1)
59,0
(42,6)
54,7
22,4
u
u

Lomg-term 
unemployment 
share
2010

40,1
36,6
42,5
42
67,9
78,8
70,4
73,6
61,8
52,3
39,5
45,9

28   Most recent available data validated by Eurostat.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
                                                 
ANNEX VI: Examples of Innovative and Research Projects in Outermost 
Regions  

Innovative and Research Projects in Outermost Regions29 

CANARY ISLANDS 

Field 

Name of the Project – Description 

HydroHybrid – Project* 

Fostering  the  use  of  hydrogen  as  an  energy  source  is  the  main 
objective  of  the  project.  This  will  also  increase  the  use  of 
renewable  energy  in  the  transport  sector.  Projects  such  as 
Hydrohybrid have made the Canary Islands an international focal 
point in this field. 

El Hierro 100%* 

Renewable 

Energy 

This  project  consists  of  3  different  programmes  that  have  to  be 
developed and implemented: 

1. 100% Renewable Energy Sources for the Electricity Supply 

Programme 

2. Energy Saving Programme  

3. Transport Programme (conversion from fossil fuels to clean 

transport). 

During  the  first  phase,  the  programme  aims  to  meet  70-80%  of 
the electricity demand of the island by means of several activities. 
The  most  innovative  one  will  consist  of  the  implementation  of  a 
Wind-Hydro Power Station (WHPS), with the target of covering and 
achieving 30% direct wind penetration into the grid. 

             SIVR: En Route Passenger Information System* 

Public authorities, a public transport company and local high-tech 
companies in Gran Canaria developed a prototype of an En Route 
Passenger Information System. The physical output of the project 
allows  passive  consultation  and  active  planning  of  intra-island 
travel  and  provides  a  terminal  for  on-the-ground  transport 
company staff. The software developed contains the nucleus of an 

ICT 

29   This is not an exhaustive list, only some examples. Projects co-financed by the EU funds are marked 

with *.  

33 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
inter-modal inter-island traffic information system. 

Astrophysics 
& Spatial 

Instituto de Astrofísica* 

The  Instituto  de  Astrofísica  de  Canarias  is  a  Spanish  research 
centre  located  in  La  Palma  and  Tenerife  in  order  to  take 
advantage of the archipelago's clear skies. The observatories and 
the  Instituto  de  Astrofísica  (Astrophysics  Institute)  together 
constitute  the  Observatorio  Norte  Europeo  (European  Northern 
Observatory). 

Instituto Canario de Ciencias Marinas (ICCM)* 

The  2007-2013  ERDF  Operational  Programme  contains 
provisions for co-financing improvements to the ICCM's research 
infrastructure. It will provide the basis for accessing and applying 
the results of the marine R+D+i carried out in the Canary Islands. 

TROPOS "Modular Multi-use Deep Water Offshore Platform 
Harnessing  and  Servicing  Mediterranean,  Subtropical  and 
Tropical Marine and Maritime Resources 

This  project  is  funded  under  the  call  FP7-OCEAN-2011  for  a 
total  EU  contribution  of  4,8  M€ 
 and  coordinated  by 
PLOCAN/Canary  Island:  The  Oceanic  Platform  of  the  Canary 
Islands (PLOCAN) is a Spanish multipurpose technical-scientific 
service  infrastructure  composed  of  a  set  of  large  facilities  that 
provide  support  for  research,  technological  development  and 
innovation  in  the  ocean.  The  aim  of  PLOCAN  is  to  build  an 
infrastructure  to  promote  marine  science  and  technology  of 
excellence  and  facilitate  access  to  ocean  areas  while  always 
safeguarding  the  environment.  PLOCAN  is  a  joint  initiative  of 
the  Government  of  the  Autonomous  Region  of  the  Canary 
Islands  and  the  Spanish  National  Government  (Ministry  of 
Science and Innovation). 

Research 

34 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
AZORES 

Name of the Project – Description 

Field 

Renewable 

Energy 

Astrophysics 
& Spatial 

Geothermal Company (Power Plant)* 

The Azores enjoy privileged access to an inexhaustible energy 
source  in  the  interior  of  the  Earth:  geothermal  energy.  These 
very high temperature geothermal fields are found only under 
certain  geological  conditions.  Given  the  reliance  of  these 
islands on imported energy and the high cost of infrastructures 
- including for electricity - due to their geographical isolation 
and  dispersed  population,  volcanic  energy  was  a  natural 
response  to  the  needs  of  the  Azores  in  this  sector  and  the 
prospecting started in 1973.  

The two geothermal power plants built in Pico Vermelho and 
Ribeira  Grande  (São  Miguel  island),  with  the  co-financing  of 
the  ERDF,  have  demonstrated  that  volcanoes  are  a  source  of 
endogenous energy for the Azores. The safe and clean energy 
they  are  providing  can  lead  to  a  self-sufficient  supply  while 
constributing  to  the  preservation  of  Azores  major  asset  –  its 
environment. 

Currently,  geothermal  energy  is  the  greatest  source  of 
renewable  energy  in  the  Azores,  accounting,  in  2011,  for 
22.1%  of  the  electricity  production  of  a  total  production  of 
renewable sources of 30%. 

Satellite tracker at Santa Maria* 

The  object  of  this  project  was  to  install  a  satellite  tracking 
station  at  Santa  Maria.  It  is  used  by  the  European  Space 
Agency  (ESA)  as  well  as  for  Atmospheric  Radiation 
Measurement. 

The  Santa  Maria  S-band  station,  also  known  as  'Montes  das 
Flores'  (Hill  of  Flowers),  is  located  5  kms  from  the  town  of 
Vila do Porto on the Portuguese island of Santa Maria. Santa 
Maria  is  one  of  the  first  ESTRACK  stations  with  launcher 
tracking  capability  and  is  used  to  receive  real-time  telemetry 
from  launches  originating  from  European  Space  Agency  - 
ESA's  spaceport  in  Kourou,  French  Guiana.  It  is  capable  of 
tracking  Ariane  5,  and  will  be  used  to  track  the  launch  of 
ESA's Automated Transfer vehicle (ATV) in early 2008. 

35 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
also 

tracking 

services  may 

SMA's 
support  Project 
CleanSeaNet,  managed  by  the  European  Maritime  Safety 
Agency (EMSA) and providing satellite detection of oil slicks, 
and Project MARISS (MARitime Security Service), part of the 
European  Union's  Global  Monitoring  for  Environment  and 
Security (GMES) programme and supported by ESA. 

The station is operated locally under contract by a consortium 
comprising industrial partners EDISOFT/SEGMA/GlobalEDA 
of Portugal/Azores on behalf of ESA. 

Requalification of the Lakes of Furnas and Sete Cidades* 

The  projects  of  requalification  of  the  margins  of  the  Lakes  of 
Furnas  and  Sete  Cidades  aim  at  the  implementation  of  these  lakes 
Basin Management Plans, considered as determinant instruments of 
a  sustainable  development,  namely  in  what  regards  rules  and  use 
measurement,  occupation  and  soil  transformation  capable  to 
manage the areas of these plans in a dynamic ant integrated manner. 

Environment 

These were though as a way to create grounds and stable means that 
allow 
and,  mostly, 
remembering  the  natural  and  primordial  habitats  of  the  region’s 
ecosystems that time and human occupation modify. 

safeguarding, 

preserving, 

defending 

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor - GEM Açores* 

ICT 

GEM’s  purpose  is  to  analyze  the  relation  between  the  level  of 
entrepreneurship  and  the  level  of  economic  growth  in  several 
countries  will,  simultaneously,  determining  the  conditions  that 
foster  or  hinder  entrepreneurship  dynamics  in  each  region  or 
country. 

The GEM Açores project will carry out this analysis for the Azores 
while  integration  the  archipelago  in  the  biggest  and  more  reliable 
entrepreneurship study worldwide. 

Culture of Azores Pineapple* 

Pineapple production in the Azores dates back to 1864, when it was 
brought from Brazil. Ananas comosus L. Merr is a monocotyledon 
from the Bromeliaceae family and the only CAM plant (succulent) 
with  agronomical  interest.  It  is  originally  produced  in  open-air 
fields  in  tropical  areas.  For  it  to  be  cultivated  in  the  Azores, 
production  was  adjusted  to  a  confined  environment  inside  a  glass 
greenhouse,  where  higher  temperature  and  higher  relative  air 
humidity  can  be  reached.  Additionally,  the  Azorean  pineapple  is 
produced using biological means of production, without application 
of  chemicals  –  namely  flower  induction  is  achieved  via  smoke 
application, in contrast to hormone (ethylene) application in open-
air fields in tropical countries. Furthermore of being an agronomical 
product  of  interest,  pineapple  is  also  a  touristic  symbol  of  the 

36 

Agriculture, 
Fisheries and 
Food 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
azorean islands and is therefore, a culture to be preserved, for all its 
historical and cultural value.  

Nevertheless,  market  globalization  has  brought  large  quantities  of 
pineapple  produced  in  tropical  countries  to  our  local  and  national 
markets  at  a  cheaper  price.  Facing  such  competition,  the  Azorean 
pineapple production has been lowering progressively over the past 
20 years.  It is thus necessary  to find improved techniques and use 
more cost-effective ways to produce a high quality product to meet 
consumer’s demands and face competition.  

The  project,  “Research,  Development  and  Application  of 
Technologies  and  Practices  promoting  Competitiveness  and 
Production  Quality”,  is  set  to  offer  pineapple  producers  improved 
technologies  and  culture  practices  based  on  acquired  scientific 
knowledge,  aiming  at  an  increased  production  and  higher  fruit 
quality. 

Interfruta* 

The promotion of fruit-growing and viticulture in the perspective of 
protection  and 
the  Macaronesia 
archipelagos is a project that aims at: 

integrated  production 

in 

- Research to obtain the production data on apple-trees; 

-  Research  on  production  and  test  new  ways  of  production  of 
banana-growing with less environmental impact; 

- Study of chestnut-trees and the phytosanitory problems associated 
to this production; 

-  Foster  the  knowledge  of  vineyards  culture  and  development  of 
prevision models for diseases that limit this culture; 

-  Study  of  the  Mediterranean  fruit  fly  and  of  the  possibility  of 
spreading sterilized flies to fight it; 

- Creation of network with phytosanitory database to the diagnostic 
of Macaronesia; 

- Location of bioactive plants. 

Regional Laboratory of Enology* 

The aim of this project is to adopt analytical technics and the use of 
new  equipment  that  would  allow  increasing  the  knowledge  of  the 
several  vine  products  of  the  Azores,  namely  at  the  level  of  their 
physic-chemical features and organoleptic qualities. 

The project also entails making available services in the domains of 
information, monitoring and analysis, as a fundamental tool for the 

37 

 
Biodiversity 
and Climate 
Change 

Research 

certification of the Azores quality wines. 

CLIMAAT* 

This project aims to identify the specific needs and requirements on 
detailed  climatic  information,  weather  and  sea  state  forecasting 
with  implications  on  the  territory  and  resources  management, 
economy,  infrastructures  and  safety  by  the  means  of  providing 
operational data in real time. 

The  strategic  rationale  of  this  project  is  the  necessity  of  adequate 
planning  and  considering  climate  as  a  resource  prone  to  change 
that requires mitigation and adaptation. 

The particularity of climate and weather mechanisms of the islands, 
that  distinguish  them  from  continents;  the  specific  needs  of  new 
methodologies  to  fit  the  requirements  and  scale  of  application  to 
the  different  sectors  of  applied  meteorology  and  climatology 
(environment, agriculture, hydrology, tourism, transports, fisheries, 
safety),  side  by  side  with  a  very  good  location  for  climatic  and 
meteorological  studies  in  the  middle  of  an  open  space  of  utmost 
importance for the global climate are the grounds for this project.  

Installation and Development of the Azores Centre of 
Seismic and Volcanic Emergency Operations*  

This  project  aims  at  the  preparation  of  an  Emergency  Operations 
Center  (EOC)  to  monitor  earthquakes,  volcanic  activity  and 
geological phenomena in the Azores, thus contributing to optimize 
the  analysis  of  the  gathered  information  and  support  the  decision-
making process of the civil protection authorities. 

Scientific Re-equipping of Accredited R&D Units* 

The aim of this project is to enhance the Azores' scientific and 
technological  capabilities  by  the  renewal  and  updating  of 
scientific  equipment  in  duly  certified  R&D  units.  The  ROV 
(Remote  Operated  Vehicle)  will  provide  the  opportunity  to 
conduct  many  research  projects  in  coastal  areas,  along  the 
underwater island slopes and on the seamounts. It can also be 
used to prospect underwater heritage, monitor sunken vessels, 
verify  and  monitor  underwater  building  work  or  port 
structures,  verify  deep  sea  cables  and  other  equipment  and 
scientific  moorings  and  to  compile  images  for  the  study  of 
marine  geology.  For  the  Department  of  Oceanography,  this 
project  represents  a  qualitative  leap  forwards  for  marine 
research of the University of Azores, as it enables work to be 
carried out at depths at which little until now has been known

38 

 
and  fisheries,  in  order  to  develop  monitoring  and  predictive 
modelling  tools  for  ecosystem  based  management  in  the  deep 
waters of Europe and beyond. 

It  aims  to  support  the  implementation  of  an  ecosystem-based 
management  approach  in  the  deep-sea  studying  the  interaction 
between cold-water coral habitat, fish and fisheries, namely: 

- 

Integrate  fish  and  fisheries  into  coral  ecosystem  models  to 
better understand coral fish-carrying capacity; 

-  Evaluate  the  distribution  of  deep  water  fishing  effort  to 
identify  areas  of  potential  interaction  an  impact  upon  coral 
habitat; 

-  Construct  bio-economic  models  to  assess  management 
effects on corals and fisheries to provide policy options; 

-  To  identify  areas  likely  to  contains  vulnerable  habitat  and 
provide  the  EU  with  the  tools  to  address  the  conservation 
issues raised by UNGA resolution. 

Research Submarine* 

The  submarine  “LULA  1000”  will  allow  for  the  discovery  of  the 
underwater world of the Azorean islands, to a depth of some 1.000 
meters,  and  will  the  used  in  several  scientific  projects  and  of 
gathering  of  information  with  the  participation  of  national  and 
international partners in areas such as: 

- Study of cold-water coral; 

- Habitat mapping while elaborating high resolution acoustic maps; 

- Production of  photo mosaics; 

- Study of hydrothermal springs and volcanism; 

- Inventories of habitats and populations in the seamounts  

- Study of depth squids; 

- Gathering of samples of deep-sea organisms for genetic analysis 

. 

The Institute for Technological Innovation of the Azores 
(INOVA)* 

is 

to  contribute 

INOVA  is  a  non-profit  association  established  in  1988.  Its 
the  diversification  and 
mission 
modernization of business network of the Autonomous Region 
of  the  Azores,  through  the  development  of  new  products  and 
processes  and  the  introduction  of  new  technologies.  The 

to 

39 

 
 
 
 
 
association promotes the scientific research and technological 
development  activities.  These  activities  are  directed  towards 
the  provision  of  services  in  the  field  of  innovation  and  the 
support of modern technologies 

40 

 
 
 
 
 
MADEIRA 

Field 

Name of the Project - Description 

Renewable 
Energy 

Socorridos Multipurpose System* 

The Socorridos hydroelectric power station has been developed 
to  optimised  water  production  for  locals  and  for  irrigation,  as 
well to tale advantage of renewable energy sources. It aims to 
reach  three  objectives  simultaneously:  to  supply  water  to 
Funchal  and  to  Câmara  de  Lobos,  to  regularize  irrigation 
volumes in agriculture and to produce electric energy.  

Calheta Hydroelectric System* 

This project has, as its central aim, a strong focus on promoting 
renewable energy, the use of cleaner fuels, the efficient use of 
energy  and  the  reduction  of  greenhouse  gases  emissions.  The 
Calheta  III  project,  following  this  development  model,  will 
ensure not only sustainability of the regional electricity system, 
but  also,  overcome  the  recommendations  and  targets  of  the 
European Union, regarding the environment protection.  

ISLE-PACT – Pact for Sustainability Energy* 

A  Pact  between  islands  of  EU  is  terms  of  energy  and 
preparation of Actions Plans for Sustainable Energy.  

Co-Financed  by  the  European  Commission  /  Directorate 
General for Energy. 

ENNEREG (Regions paving the way for a Sustainable 
Energy Europe)* 

ENNEREG aims to establish and inspire a network of regions 
throughout  Europe  –  Regions  202020  -  to  produce  regional 
Sustainable  Energy  Action  Plans  (SEAPs)  and  implement 
Sustainable Energy Projects (SEPs). 

European project supported by the Intelligent Energy – Europe 
programme 

ICT 

Toureg-Research Driven Cluster for Tourism Sector* 

By  getting  together  Small  and  Medium  Sized  Enterprises 
(SMEs)  with  Tour  Agents  and  Hotel  Groups,  the  intention  on 

41 

 
 
 
 
 
an initial stage is to collect a situation status, which will lead to 
establishing  strategies  aiming  globally  to  fulfil  the  needs  the 
sector may evidence.  In global terms, the project is directed to 
improving  competitiveness  in  companies  belonging  to  that 
services  sector,  especially  those  connected  to  Tourism,  by 
establishing  a  platform  to  generate  and  transmit  knowledge 
based on technological innovation and research in the Tourism 
domain.  

European project supported by the FP7 

IN-TRACK - Insular regions knowledge tracker* 

This  project  has  built  on  the  special  characteristics,  strengths 
and  constraints  of  four  insular  European  regions  –  Crete 
(Greece),  the  Canary  Islands  (Spain),  Sicily  (Italy)  and 
Madeira  (Portugal)  -  to  supply  a  tailor-made  methodology 
based  on  regional  foresight  methods.  It  has  promoted  the 
formulation of knowledge-based regional policies, ensuring the 
support of local actors and stakeholders. 

European  project  supported  by 
Knowledge). 

the  FP7 

(Regions  of 

BrainBridges* 

Collaborative technologies and environments enhancing 
the seamless creativity process, leveraging the full 
European potential* 

Brain Bridges will result in a European Strategies coordinated 
in the area of Collaborative Working Environments (CWE) and 
supportive technologies. To achieve that, the project goal is to 
join together the National Research organizations and the key-
industries in this area. 

European project supported by the FP7 

Astrophysics 
& Spatial 

Portuguese archipelago in touch with space* 

This  high-tech  project  will  consist  in  the  installation  of  a 
satellite tracking centre in Madeira, enabling the region to both 
track  satellite  movements  and  supply  related  services.  The 
project focuses on two space communication business sectors: 
controlling  geostationary  satellites;  and  marketing  capabilities 
and satellite telecommunication services. 

42 

 
 
 
 
Solid Waste Evaluation Unit* 

Included  in  the  strategy  defined  in  the  Regional  Solid  Waste 
the  project  of  solid  waste 
Management  Strategy  Plan, 
management  facility  of  Madeira  consist  of  the  installation  of 
the  necessary  infrastructures  and  equipment  for  an  adequate 
integration  and  optimization  of 
the  activities  of  waste 
collection  and  transport,  selective  collection  and  recycling, 
valorisation, treatment and final disposal 

BIOBASE – Base de Dados da Biodiversidade do 
Arquipélago da Madeira* 

The  goal  is  to  update  the  database  of  the  biodiversity  in  the 
Autonomous Region of Madeira. 

FEDER Operational Programme “Intervir+”. 

Biodiversity 
and Climate 
Change 

Life - Ilhéus do Porto Santo* 

This  project  aims  the  recovery  of  the  terrestrial  habitats  of 
those spaces, conserving the local fauna and the flora.  

Co-financed by Life+ Nature. 

Coordinator: 

Bioclimac - Biotechnology and conservation to face climatic 
alterations* 

The  goal  of  this  project  is  to  survey  the  effect  of  the  climatic 
alterations  on  the  germinative  capacity  of  the  seeds  and  the 
genetic variety of the archipelagos of the Macaronésia.  

PCT MAC 2007-2013. 

CIVITAS MIMOSA - Eco friendly buses* 

This  Project  involves  the  use  of  electric  busses  in  Funchal. 
Project  selected  as  finalist  in  Regio  Stars  2010  awards.  The 
objectives of the project were: 

(cid:131) 
(cid:131) 
(cid:131) 

to increase the total number of passengers 
to improve satisfaction of the users 
to build up evaluation models 

43 

 
 
 
 
 
 
(cid:131) 
(cid:131) 

to increase the efficiency of the public transport system 
to  promote  a  positive  attitudinal  shift  towards  alternative 
transport modes - biking, walking, car sharing – by making 
them more attractive. 

CABMEDMAC - Battle of the Mediterranean fly* 

Innovation 
in 
Agriculture, 
Fisheries 
and Food 

The project is dedicated to study modalities of pest control the 
Mediterranean  Fruit  Fly  (Ceratitis  capitata  Wiedemann), 
contributing  to  a  better  understanding  of  fruit  flies  in 
Macaronesia.  Project  partners  are  Azores,  Madeira  and  Cape 
Verde. 

Diversifying live feed diets for rearing marine fish larvae in 
semi-intensive systems* 

Species  diversification  is  a  major  concern  for  the  sustainable 
development  of  aquaculture  in  Mediterranean  regions  that  relies 
essentially on sea bream and sea bass. 

The  aim  of  this  project  is  to  improve  current  methodologies 
and live feeds used in aquaculture of rearing marine fish larvae 
that until  now are  unable  to be cultivated or present very low 
survival,  as  red  porgy  Pagrus  pagrus  and  dusky  grouper, 
Epinephelus  marginatus.  To  reach  our  objective  we  will 
develop a variant  of  the mesocosm technique, where different 
trophic  levels  and  nutrient  of  the  proposed  prey  items  will  be 
controlled.  The  production  of  juvenles of  these species would 
comply  the  European  Community  regulation  for  organic 
aquaculture production. 

Project for pelagic species production* 

the 

trevally 

(Pseudocaranx  dentex) 

The almaco jack (Seriola dumerilli, S. fasciata or S. rivoliana) 
fand  present 
and 
aquaculture potential. The objectives of this project are: a) the 
capture  of  adults  and  their  maintenance  under  artificial 
conditions;  b)  gonad  maturation  studies  and  if  required 
larvae  culture 
hormonal 
techniques  and  transference  of  juveniles,  employing  the 
mesocosm technique; d) to supply the local maricultures. 

induction;  c)  development  of 

The MARPROF Project* 

Setting the Basis for the Management and Gastronomic 
Valorization of the Deep-water Fishery Resources from the 
Macaronesia 

44 

 
 
 
 
 
around 

fishing 

grounds 

The main objective of this  project, co-financed by FEDER, is 
to  research  non-traditional  deep-water  marine  resources  and 
assess  their  potential  commercial  interest  thus  leading  to  the 
possible  development  of  new  fishing  opportunities.  To 
accomplish  its  goals  this  project  conducts  fishing  surveys 
covering 
the  Macaronesian 
archipelagos.  It  will  also  extend  the  inventory  of  the  marine 
biodiversity  in  this  area  and  create  a  new  body  of  knowledge 
essential  to  the  biological  and  fisheries  management  and 
hopefully  to  the  development  of  new  fisheries,  based  on 
sustainable exploitation. During the project a study of the food 
quality  of  the  deep-water  resources  found  will  be  carried  out 
through the realization of nutritional and organoleptic analysis. 
Innovative  recipes  will  be  prepared  by  professional  cuisine 
chefs.  Eventually,  all  information  gathered  during  the  project 
will be used for the delivery of a gastronomic guide available 
to the consumers. 

“Promoção do consumo de produtos agro-alimentares da 
Região Autónoma da Madeira”* 

Co-financed by Operacional Programme “Intervir +” 

Solid Waste Treatment Station of Meia Serra* 

The  Project  “Solid  Waste  Treatment  Station  of  Meia  Serra” 
implementation  of  an  adapted  waste 
consolidated 
management  solution,  based  on  the  construction  of  valuations 
installations, treatment and final destination facilities. 

the 

Research 

Co-financed by Cohesion Fund. 

CETACEOS MADEIRA II* 

It’s a project for the application of actions of observation of the 
statute of conservation of the species of cetaceous that occur in 
waters off-Shore of the Archipelago of the Madeira. 

Co-financed by the Programme LIFE + 

SOST–MAC - Cooperação e Sinergias em Acções 
Sustentáveis em Espaços Naturais Protegidos da 
Macaronésia* 

45 

Aims  to  put  in  place  various  actions  and  experiences  that 

 
 
 
 
 
integrate  and  harmonize  the  partner-tourist  activity  in  the 
natural protected areas, without compromising its conservation 

PCT MAC. 

- LIFE Eco compatível* 

Contributes to support the social-economic and biodiversity. 

Co-financed by the Programme LIFE + 

46 

 
 
 
 
MARTINIQUE 

Field 

Name of the Project - Description 

ECODOM - Bioclimatic Habitat* 

The  objective  of  the  ECODOM  experimental  operation  is 
reducing the energy needs of individual and communities : 

(cid:131)  by limiting the use of air conditioning;  
(cid:131)  by acting on solar thermal loads, natural ventilation; 
(cid:131)  by  promoting  the  production  of  hot  water  by  using  solar 

equipment. 

Energy from the sea* 

Renewable 
Energy 

EDF  and  the  Regional  Council  are  planning  to  establish  a 
prototype  of  Ocean  Thermal  Energy  plant  in  Martinique  to 
produce 10 MW by exploiting the thermal energy from the sea, 
with  the  aim  of  developing  non-intermittent  energy.  The 
resource  is  abundant,  stable  and  available  24/7  throughout  the 
year. Although it is based on an experimental technology. 

Geothermal energy* 

(under 
The  Caribbean  Dominica  Power  Plant  project 
consideration),  the  first  project  of  energy  cooperation  in  the 
Caribbean,  could  be  installed  in  the  Dominica.  It  would  share 
energy  production  with  Martinique  and  Guadeloupe  through 
submarine cables. It would save the emission of 80,000 tonnes 
of CO2 per year, equivalent to 32,000 cars.  

Regional food hub Martinique*  

Innovation 
in 
Agriculture
, Fisheries 
and Food 

The  PARM  (Pôle  Agroalimentaire  Régional  Martinique)  is  a 
technical  and  scientific  tool  created  at  the  initiative  of  the 
research, 
Regional  Council 
development, assistance and advice to professionals throughout 
the food industry. 

the  missions  of 

to  ensure 

Testing centers in irrigated agriculture* 

47 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The  objective  of  the  project  is  to  develop  sustainable  farming 
implementing  other 
systems  and 
projects enhancing the diversification. 

techniques.  Furthermore 

ŒnoFWI: guava wine* 

Production  and  commercialization  of  tropical  fruit  wines.  The 
flagship product is the guava wine. The artisanal production of 
Enology  French  West  Indies  will  reach  an  industrial  scale  by 
the end of 2011, maintaining a premium positioning. This wine 
at 11° alcohol and composed of 50% fruit, has the particularity 
to  be  very  aromatic.  The  Technopole  advises  entrepreneurs  in 
search  of  European  subsidies  and  defining  their  marketing 
strategy. 

TRAMIL* 

TRAMIL  is  a  program  of  applied  research  for  traditional 
popular  medicine  in  the  Caribbean.  It  aims  to  validate 
scientifically the traditional uses of medicinal plants for primary 
health  care.  It  aspires  to  be  the  reference  interdisciplinary 
program in the detection, validation and diffusion of the uses of 
medicinal plants that impact on public health. 

Research 

PRAM – Agro-environmental Research Pole of Martinique*

The  PRAM  is  a  tool  for  the  rural  development  of  Martinique 
and  the  West  Indies.  It  is  composed  by  the  Research  Institute 
for  Agriculture  and  Environment  (Cemagref),  the  International 
cooperation  Center  in  Agronomical  Research  for  Development 
(Cirad)  and  the  Research  Institute  for  Development  (IRD).  Its 
mission  is  to  develop  fundamental  and  applied  research, 
regional 
technical 
cooperation. 

information 

training, 

support, 

and 

FIB and CO* 

Innovation 
in 
agricultural 
transforma
tion 

FiBandCO  gives  a  second  life  to  banana  plant  trunks.  Using  a 
completely  innovative  technology  and  thanks  to  an  eco-
responsible  process,  they  develop  a  natural  product  rich  in 
fibres.  In  the  heart  of  plantations,  FIBandCo  transforms 
unexploited resources resulting from the cultivation of bananas, 
to produce a quality, top of the range material. 

48 

 
 
 
 
 
Innovation 
in 
EcoTouris
m 

KAY FLO* 

KayFlo 
tourist 
is  an  environment-friendly  project  of 
accommodation on the water around Martinique. The 20 Kayflo 
units will be designed and built in a shipyard in Martinique.  

10 KayFlo will form a floating hotel village and 10 others will 
be anchored at several sites around Martinique. The project will 
create a new type of tourism product and create at least 5 to 8 
jobs. 

SIDREP* 

Recycling 
Industry 

Creation of a transformation and recycling plastic factory. This 
structure  will  transform  terephtalic  polyethylen  bottles  into 
granulated of plastic of two qualities. The first will be used for 
the manufacturing of new bottles, the second will take the shape 
of  gross  products  sold  on  the  worldwide  market  and  intended 
for the manufacturing of non-food containers 

Scientific 
Research 

Biodiversit
y and 
Climate 
Change 

GENOMIQUE APPLIQUEE* 

Feasibility study on the development of the industry applied to 
genomics. This first study aims to contribute to the knowledge 
of  the  Caribbean  genome.  This  will  lead  to  provide  more 
detailed  knowledge  of  certain  and  genetic  diseases,  and 
complete the provision of health care. 

A new "living laboratory"* 

Network of 40 "plots" of intensive monitoring and measurement 
that will provide a living laboratory. It will allow to detect long-
term  changes  in  the  functioning  of  a  wide  variety  of  forest 
ecosystems. It will provide a better understanding of the reasons 
for  these  changes.  The  French  National  Forestry  Office,  in 
Martinique, was given a mission of expertise and advice aimed 
at  the  identification  and  protection  of  wildlife  and  natural 
habitats within this project. 

49 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GUADELOUPE 

Field 

Name of the Project - Description 

Renewable 
Energy 

The PRERURE* 

The  Regional  Plan  for  Renewable  Energies  and  Rational  Use  of 
Energy (PRERURE) aims to define the Region's objectives in the 
field of development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in 
the long term. It will provide the operational action programs for 
the short, medium and long term. 

Thermal regulation : Guadeloupe case study* 

Regional  council  of  Guadeloupe  asked  for  the  support  of  CSTB 
(scientific  and  technical  building  center)  to  design  a  specific 
building  thermal  regulation  adapted  to  tropical  environment.  The 
aim  is  to  foster  green  building,  ie  low  energies  consumption 
building,  competitive  integrated  hot  water  solar  systems    in 
tropical weather conditions and highly exposed to natural hazards, 
like earthquake or hurricane.  

The  regulation  should  address  all  kind  of  building,  commercial, 
individual houses, and so on.  

CSTB works from the national French regulation, in a step by step 
process, starting from a global approach of the building to specific 
issues  like  some  national  certification.  The  global  approach  is 
already fulfilled. Indeed, the regulation has been approved in may 
2011. Then an easy understandable excel sheet has been released. 
It is the ever first and innovative work done on this subject. 

Geothermal energy in the Caribbean* 

Regional  Council  of  Guadeloupe  is  the  project  leader  of  Interreg 
IV Caribbean area « Caribbean Goethermy ». One of the goals of 
the  project  is  to  design  a  methodology  to  develop  industrial 
geothermal project in a sustainable way, taking into account local 
people interests and environmental concerns. 

The methodology will be used for the Dominic project which aims 
at producing 120MW. 

The second goal of the project is to ease the financing of the early 
steps of a geothermal project, mainly the exploration of geothermal 
wheels. A study will look after how to create a warranty fund, as 
existed one in Mediterranean sea or in Africa.  

50 

 
 
 
Innovation 
in 
Agricultur
e, 
Fisheries 
and Food 

Pharmaceutical industry* 

The Phytobôkaz Laboratory is located in the heart of the diverse 
and rich vegetation of the Commune of Gourbeyre and produces 
nutritional and phytocosmetics supplements. 

Fisheries Informations System* 

Fishery  is  one  of  the  main  economic  activities  of  the  territory. 
But  over  fishing  may  lead  to  exhaustion  of  the  stock.  Thank  to 
several  studies  and  surveys,  the  partners  (French  research 
institute  on  marine  topics,  regional  council  of  Guadeloupe, 
regional council of fisheries and sea, and others) identify the way 
of  fishing,  the  kind  of  boat,  the number of trip, the kind of  fish 
catch  and  when,  and  so  on.  The  aim  of  the  project  is  to  better 
monitor  the  fisheries  activities  in  order  to  promote  a  more 
sustainable  and  competitive  fishery.  The  data  gathering  trough 
the different studies will also lead to further research projects on 
marine ecosystems and sustainable used of marine resources. 

Agro-transfer Project - research and development interface 
project* 

This initiative allows supporting innovative projects created by at 
least  two  cooperating  partners  who  could  develop  new  markets. 
All  projects  should  demonstrate  their  collaborative  nature  and 
innovativeness. 

RESPEG network* 

High  potential  molecule  can  be  found  in  traditional  medicinal 
herbs  and  local  biodiversity  to  ease  diseases  or  to  develop 
cosmetics products and so on. The aim of the network is to gather 
producers  of  traditional  medicinal  herbs,  research  centers  and 
companies  in  order  to  develop  high  innovative  products. 
Research will lead to optimize the crops in a sustainable way, it 
will  also  focus  on  screening  the  interesting  molecule  and  the 
sustainable way to extract them 

Research 

Guademerged* 

The objective of the project is: 

51 

 
 
 
 
 
 
(cid:131) 

(cid:131) 

(cid:131) 

increase 

the  scientific  and 

to 
technical  potential  of 
Guadeloupe  in  the  field  of  emerging  and  vector-borne 
diseases,  
to  develop  strategic  partnerships  and  collaborative  networks 
in this field  
to  increase  international  visibility  of  Guadeloupe0s  research 
in this area. 

Project "NET-BIOME"* 

It is a network of tropical and subtropical biodiversity research in 
Outermost  regions  to  support  sustainable  development.  ERA-
NET initiative, leading partner: La Reunion. 

Agroecotrop* 

Developed  by  INRA  (national  research  institute  on  agronomy), 
the project aims at designing a sustainable farm with low inputs, 
either energy, fertilizers, pesticides, food. In a holistic approach, 
research looks for complementary between some animal breeding 
output  and  the  need  of  some  crops  as  well  as  some  interactions 
between  different  crops  in  order  to  reduce  and  halt  the  use  of 
pesticides  and  chemical  fertilizers.  By  the  end,  some  crops 
associated with some local herbs will be suggested to the farmer, 
as some way to valorise the output of each activity of the farm. 
Indeed,  production  of  methanol  due  to  animal  breeding  output 
will be study. The first results on the economic sustainability of 
this kind of farms are very positive. 

Technical support to foster participation to EU framework 
program* 

Research  team  in  Guadeloupe  are  far  from  the  EU.  Despite  the 
excellence of the research developed, they are poorly known by 
European  teams.  Further,  it  is  quite  difficult  to  apply  to  EU 
framework program. Therefore, in order to foster the integration 
to  the  EER,  a  technical  support  is  proposed  to  local  research 
teams who would like to be part of an EU framework programme 
project  or  apply  as  a  leader  for  a  EU  framework  programme. 
Initiated  by  the  regional  council  of  Guadeloupe,  the  aim  is  to 
develop  internal  capacities  at  local  level  on  EU  framework 
programme  in  order  to  benefit  from  these  financial  tools  and  to 
reinforce the local research excellence. 

52 

 
 
 
 
 
Regional submarine cable network* 

in 

The  project  will  provide  high-speed  connectivity 
the 
Caribbean by the installation of a new regional submarine cable 
network in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe This network deployment 
is  part  of  a  larger  project  to  provide  the  region  with  the  most 
advanced  telecom  infrastructures  linking  Guadeloupe  and  the 
Caribbean  countries,  while  creating  value-added  services  for 
residential  and  business  users.  The  project  will  provide  a  cost-
efficient broadband access and connectivity to the region". 

ICT 

Live management of the highway network trough ICT* 

In  order  to  reduce  traffic  jam,  low  carbon  hydroxide  emission 
and  car  crashed,  Route  de  Guadeloupe,  a  public  organisation, 
deploys a large network of data collection stations. Further thank 
to  some  specific  sensors  set  up  with  Météo  France  and  the 
research  institute  on  geology  and  soil  (BRGM),  Route  de 
Guadeloupe may send a early warning about potential landslide. 
All  these  stations  and  sensors  are  connected  to  an  interactive 
innovative  ICT  network.  Data  are  gathered  to  headquarter. 
Drivers may know on time how it is going on the highway. 

Marin cluster* 

Foster 
innovation 

This  cluster  gathers  local  organisations  involved  in  the  marine 
training, 
field  activities  (tourism, 
research ...). It aims at promoting and enhancing the sustainable 
development  of  those  activities.  Therefore  some  studies  and 
collaborative projects will be launched to foster them. 

transportation,  fisheries, 

Training on creativity* 

Local  companies  will  attend  training  on  creativity  in  order  to 
help them to overcome common problems they have to face with 
and  to  develop  innovative  project.  Small  group  will  work  on 
common  problems  in  order  to  acquire  creative  solving  method. 
Each participant will implement the methodology in its company, 
with the support of the trainer. This project is developed by the 
regional  council  of  Guadeloupe  in  partnership  with  the  French 
government department linked to innovation. 

53 

 
 
 
 
PURE AVENIR* 

It's  a  project  that  facilitates  the  development  of  strategic 
cooperation  between  regions  (Guadeloupe,  Martinique,  Réunion 
and  Corse)  in  the  field  of  sustainable  energy  and  energetic 
efficiency. 

Synergîle* 

It's created in November 2007 in order to create synergies around 
innovative projects with focus on two strategic paths: Materials 
and construction in tropical zone at risk and renewable energies 
non broadcasting of CO2. 

54 

 
 
 
FRENCH GUIANA 

Field 

Name of the Project - Description 

Guiane Broadband* 

ICT 

This project involves the installation of high-speed broadband 
connections  covering  the  whole  of  the  region.  Over  85  km  of 
optic  fibre  have  been  laid,  linking  the  capital  Cayenne  to 
Kourou,  where  the  greatest  concentration  of  the  region’s  221 
500 inhabitants reside. 

SEAS * 

Astrophysics 
& Spatial 

(Surveillance de l'Environnement Amazonien assistée par 
Satellite) 

This  project  aims  to  monitor  by  satellite  the  Amazon  forest 
environment 

Guyafor* 

Biodiversity 
and Climate 
Change 

Guyafor is a network of forest devices permanently installed in 
French  Guiana,  where  scientific  partners  are  conducting 
research  activities  to  provide  an  estimate  of  the  amount  of 
carbon stored in forests of Guiana 

Centre Européen de Biodiversité – CEBio* 

This  research  and  development  centre,  which 
includes 
laboratories  and  other  installations,  is  also  a  resort  with  a 
conference and business center. 

CARPAGG - Carbon pastures of Guiana and greenhouse 
gas emissions* 

Grassland systems in Guiana, as in many other farming areas in 
the  world,  meet  environmental  and  productive  functions 
(particular  in  terms  of  carbon)  that  the  project  will  study. 
Guiana is particularly concerned by this mechanism for storing 
carbon.  The  project  will  help 
the  establishment  and 
management  of  grassland  systems  capable  of  reconciling 
(ensuring the expected
sustainable production objectives

55 

 
 
 
 
 
 
development  of  the  cattle)  and  environment(reduce  impacts, 
maximize services ). 

La Maison de la Forêt et des Bois de Guyane (M.F.B.G.)* 

MFBG has a multidisciplinary structure and supports the forest 
and  wood  industry.  Its  objective  is  to  contribute  to  the 
coordinated  development  of  all  sectors  of  the  industry,  to  the 
prosperity  of  its  businesses  and  to  the  implementation  of 
standardized and eco-certified products 

56 

 
 
 
RÉUNION 

Name of the Project - Description 

Solar Power* 

This project consists of a photovoltaic power plant already generating 
enough electricity to cover the annual consumption of 850 households. 
The aim is to become totally energy self sufficient by 2025. 

Field 

Renewa
ble 
Energy 

GERRI* 

Biodiver
sity and 
Climate 
Change 

This  integrated  project  aims  at  making  Reunion  Island  the  first 
territory in the world where all environmental friendly innovations in 
terms of transport, energy production, storage and use, town planning 
and construction are integrated into society by 2030. 

Innovati
on in 
Agricult
ure, 
Fisherie
s and 
Food 

Research 

La Canne à sucre – eRcane* 

eRcane  is  a  research  centre,  that  aims  to  improve  the  production  of 
plant  varieties  of  sugar  with  the  objective  to  give  added  value  to  the 
sugar  cane,  not  only  as  food  but  also  as  biofuel.  eRcane  is  an 
Economic  Interest  Grouping,  integrated  by  Sucrière  de  La  Réunion 
(Quartier français Group) and Sucrerie de Bois Rouge (Téréos Group). 

Run Sea Science* 

This  project  wishes  to  improve  and  develop  the  research  capacities 
and capabilities of Réunion. This is being achieved in the field of sea 
sciences by improving regional S & T potential, enhancing human and 
material resources and developing strategic partnerships and scientific 
dissemination. 

Cyclotron Réunion Océan Indien (CYROI)* 

In the health sector, the Réunion Indian Ocean Cyclotron (CYROI) — 
a 
technology  platform  which  combines  a  radiopharmaceutical 
production  unit  and  technical  research  and  support  centres  —  is 
available to researchers and young innovative enterprises. Its research 
areas  concern  metabolic,  infectious  and  emerging  diseases  and  the 
promotion  of  land  and  marine  biodiversity.  The  Centre  for  Research 
and Scientific Monitoring of Infectious Diseases in the Indian Ocean 

57 

 
 
 
 
 
 
(CRVOI) is also linked to it. 

58