Page 25 - qe-07-16-088

• Innovative projects developed in the islands can be replicated in other EU territories such as less
favoured areas in rural areas and EU urban territories in difficulty.

8.2 EESC recommendations

8.2.1 General recommendations

• Impressed by the projects implemented by island communities, households and private actors, the
EESC recommends that the European Commission list the islands’ initiatives in a catalogue which
could inspire other EU territories.

• The Eurostat publication “Portrait of the Islands (Eurostat 1994)” proposed a definition of an island³,
which has been modified as shown by the fifth Cohesion Report (CEC, 2010). The EESC again calls
for this definition to be revised, taking into consideration “smart” indicators. “Smart” indicators will be
defined in cooperation with the local population, authorities and civil society representatives.
• Any Member States with islands could dedicate a specific administration to insular territories in order
to better address the specific features of these territories.

8.2.2 Information and communication technologies (ICT)

• Island inhabitants should be guaranteed access to affordable high-speed internet, regardless of the
size of the island and population.
• ICT technologies should be encouraged to overcome islands’ territorial limitations, particularly in the
areas of administration, health, education and training, infrastructure, commerce, spatial planning
and social issues.

• The use of safe data protection systems, such as QR codes, should be encouraged.
• As regard free wifi, which has become an asset for increasing the attractiveness of islands, local
authorities should ensure that the online storage of data is handled at national level so as to ensure
effective control of users’ personal information .
4
8.2.3 Energy and transport and the environment

• Decentralised energy production and consumption should be encouraged by Member States since
they are a model for islands willing to cut CO2 emissions by reducing their dependence on fossil fuel.
• Renewable energies (such as solar, wind, geothermal and tidal) and energy efficiency (such as smart
grid systems, heating systems and public lighting) should be accessible to islanders and encouraged
through innovative funding. Funding programmes should support small-scale projects, but private
financial institutions should also facilitate the small investments needed by local authorities and/or
households.

• The EESC recommends that island administrations and islanders be encouraged to move toward
soft mobility with the development of public maritime and inland transport modes using alternative
fuels such as biogas from waste management (methane).
• Waste management is problematic for all islands. The EESC recommends that islands develop waste
prevention projects, particularly for plastics which are expensive to recycle.
8.2.4 Tourism development

• The preservation of local architecture and the redevelopment of old factories, docks, buildings or
paths can provide local jobs and attract tourists.
• Innovative, accessible and affordable modes of transport to reach the islands and move around on
the islands is crucial for sustainable tourism development. Best practices from island communities,
such as extensive use of bicycles, electrical vehicles and local policies supporting such developments,
should be more widely disseminated among island communities.

³ Fifth report on economic, social and territorial cohesion, European Commission, COM(2010) 642
4 EESC opinion: General Data Protection Regulation, SOC/455
23