New EU Intergroup for Islands as well as Seas, Rivers, and Coastal areas.

Kick off meeting for new EU Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal areas  Intergroup

At long last, there will be an Intergroup in the EU parliament that will look into Island issues specifically. although as part of a wider remit.

The Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas Intergroup of the European Parliament was proposed to Martin Schulz by the Presidents of the Political Groups and has been approved by the Conference of Presidents. It will carry on and further develop the work led under the Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup, which the CPMR had strongly supported since 2010 acting as its Secretariat.

Gesine Meissner (DE-ALDE) is the new President of the Intergroup that met for the first time in Strasbourg on 15 January 2015.

Members of the Intergroup also voted for the Vice-Presidents responsible for thematic and geographic priorities that will include the sea basin strategies and the island dimension.

Different political groups and nationalities will contribute to the work of this renewed Intergroup that will carry on and further develop the work led under the Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup.

In close cooperation with the CPMR, the Intergroup will promote an integrated approach to issues such as the relationship between blue growth and green growth, the European maritime industry. The attractiveness of maritime professions and the sustainable development of coastal areas will also be covered. Particular attention will also be given to the sea basin strategies and the island dimension.

“This is very good news for the whole of maritime Europe, to which the CPMR belongs, and a just recognition of the work led by members of the Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup during the previous legislature. This shows that the European Parliament acknowledges how vitally important the seas and coastal regions are for the future of Europe. The Intergroup, working together with our maritime regions, will be able to put forward concrete proposals to the Commission and the Council to develop the tremendous potential of the sea in a more responsible and sustainable way,” stated Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the Regional Government of the Azores and CPMR President.

Camille Dressler, Scottish Islands Federation Chair says: “this is very good news, and means that we can start working with the Intergroup on the issues that are most important to ESIN and its members, and which we flagged up with our Island Champion Pledge initiative during last year’s  EU parliament elections.”