Clint Camilleri Calls For EU Policies To Better Reflect Challenges Faced By Islands

Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri has called for European policies to better reflect the geographical realities of island territories, arguing that island communities and businesses should have the same opportunities as their mainland counterparts.

Speaking before the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) in Brussels, Camilleri highlighted the structural costs faced by island states and regions, particularly those linked to transport, logistics and dependence on air and sea connectivity.

He said these challenges are particularly significant for Malta and Gozo because of their double insularity, arguing that applying identical rules to territories with different geographical circumstances does not automatically create equal opportunities.

Camilleri called for the principle of island-proofing to be systematically incorporated into EU policies, alongside greater priority for affordable and reliable connectivity, resilient maritime infrastructure and more flexibility in funding and State Aid.

He also called for businesses operating on islands to receive the necessary incentives and support to compete on an equal footing within the European Single Market.

Addressing the EU's decarbonisation targets, Camilleri said Malta supports these objectives but stressed that measures such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime must take into account islands' essential dependence on maritime connectivity.

He concluded by urging the EU's forthcoming Island Strategy to explicitly recognise the challenges of double insularity and ensure that the specific circumstances of islands such as Gozo are reflected in the development and implementation of European policies.

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