From strategy to action: Europe’s islands need results not promises

The European Commission’s proposal for a European Union Strategy for Islands marks an important milestone for island communities. Although the EU Treaties recognise the permanent structural challenges faced by islands, relatively little has been done to address them in a comprehensive and sustained manner. The publication of this strategy is therefore a welcome development. Yet, as with any European initiative, its true value will ultimately be measured by its implementation.

As a Gozitan, I know that insularity is not an abstract policy concept—it is a daily reality. Our lives are shaped by ferry schedules. Whether travelling for work, university, medical appointments or simply to access services unavailable on the island, crossing the channel is part of everyday life. We know what it means to leave home hours earlier than others, to worry about rough seas disrupting travel, or to pay more because almost everything we consume must first cross the sea. Individually, these may seem like minor inconveniences. Collectively, they define the reality of island life.

This is why I particularly welcome the appointment of Noel Formosa, vice-president for Gozo and mayor of San Lawrenz, as rapporteur for the European Committee of the Regions’ opinion on the EU Strategy for Islands. His appointment ensures that the realities of island life will be represented by someone who understands them first-hand. It is also recognition that Gozo has valuable experience to contribute to Europe’s first comprehensive strategy dedicated to islands.

Policies conceived in Brussels will only succeed if they are shaped together with the people and communities they are intended to serve.
For Gozitans, this strategy is not about seeking special treatment or privileges. It is about ensuring that geography does not determine the opportunities available to citizens. The strategy must move beyond good intentions and deliver practical solutions to the everyday realities of island life.

One of the most pressing issues is access to medicines. Europeans rightly expect equal access to healthcare regardless of where they live. Yet patients on smaller islands frequently experience shortages, delays and higher costs simply because of geography and limited market size. Medicines are not a luxury—they are an essential public service. The EU Strategy must acknowledge these structural disadvantages and work with Member States to ensure that island citizens enjoy the same standard of access to healthcare as everyone else in Europe.

The same principle applies to the broader cost of insularity. Living and operating on an island inevitably involves additional costs. Businesses face higher transport expenses, more complex logistics and reduced economies of scale. Families often pay more for everyday goods and services. Numerous island regions across Europe have documented these challenges and demonstrated that they are not the result of inefficiency, but of permanent structural realities that require long-term policy responses.

Connectivity is equally fundamental. Islands cannot participate fully in the European Single Market if people and goods cannot move efficiently, reliably and affordably. Connectivity is not a privilege; it is the lifeline that enables access to employment, education, healthcare, tourism and trade.

This is why the conference organised last year by MEP Peter Agius on island connectivity was so significant. Bringing together academics, transport experts and island representatives, it highlighted an important reality—European funding for new maritime transport infrastructure and vessels is available. The responsibility now lies with governments to make full and effective use of these opportunities to strengthen island connectivity.

Connectivity today extends beyond transport. Digital connectivity is equally essential. High-speed broadband, resilient digital infrastructure and modern communications networks are indispensable if islands are to attract investment, retain young people, support innovation and deliver high-quality public services.

The strategy also provides an opportunity to improve the way European legislation is developed. Too often, policies designed with continental realities in mind create unintended consequences for islands. This is why island-proofing should become a guiding principle across EU policymaking, ensuring that legislation is systematically assessed for its impact on island territories before decisions are taken. Solutions for islands cannot be designed solely in Brussels or national capitals; they must be developed in partnership with island communities themselves.

Europe increasingly recognises that competitiveness, resilience and territorial cohesion are built from the ground up. Nowhere is this more evident than on islands. Whether discussing renewable energy, sustainable tourism, fisheries, innovation, transport or demographic challenges, islands should be regarded not as peripheral territories, but as places where innovative European solutions can be developed, tested and refined.

The publication of the EU Strategy for Islands is therefore only the beginning. Its success will not be measured by the number of pages in the strategy or by the political declarations that accompany it. It will be measured by whether islanders experience tangible improvements in their daily lives: more reliable and affordable transport, better access to medicines and healthcare, stronger local economies, lower costs arising from insularity, and greater opportunities for young people to build their future on the islands they proudly call home.

Europe has recognised that islands matter. Now it must ensure that this recognition is translated into meaningful action, since, for Gozo and island communities across Europe, that is what will make the real difference.