Motion for a resolution | Doc. 13199 | 26 April 2013

Development challenges in Europe’s islands: what follow-up on Resolution 1441 (2005)?

Signatories: Mr Konstantinos TRIANTAFYLLOS, Greece, SOC ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Paride ANDREOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Volodymyr ARIEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Þuriður BACKMAN, Iceland, UEL ; Ms Theodora BAKOYANNIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr José María BENEYTO, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Deborah BERGAMINI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Delia BLANCO, Spain, SOC ; Mr Fernand BODEN, Luxembourg, EPP/CD ; Ms Rossana BOLDI, Italy, EDG ; Ms Sílvia Eloïsa BONET PEROT, Andorra, SOC ; Ms Giuliana CARLINO, Italy, ALDE ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Michael CONNARTY, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Carlos COSTA NEVES, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Mr Geraint DAVIES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Roel DESEYN, Belgium, EPP/CD ; Mr Arcadio DÍAZ TEJERA, Spain, SOC ; Mr Ioannis DRAGASAKIS, Greece, UEL ; Mr Renato FARINA, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Axel E. FISCHER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Valeriu GHILETCHI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Gábor HARANGOZÓ, Hungary, SOC ; Mr Joachim HÖRSTER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Arpine HOVHANNISYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Mr Rafael HUSEYNOV, Azerbaijan, ALDE ; Ms Naira KARAPETYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Mr Igor KOLMAN, Croatia, ALDE ; Mr László KOSZORÚS, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Ms Stella KYRIAKIDES, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Ms Athina KYRIAKIDOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Mr George LOUKAIDES, Cyprus, UEL ; Mr Epameinondas MARIAS, Greece, NR ; Ms Vesna MARJANOVIĆ, Serbia, SOC ; Mr João Bosco MOTA AMARAL, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Ms Melita MULIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Nicos NICOLAIDES, Cyprus, SOC ; Ms Lesia OROBETS, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Greece, UEL ; Ms Foteini PIPILI, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Ivan RAČAN, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Aleksandrs SAKOVSKIS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Giacomo SANTINI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Elisabeth SCHNEIDER-SCHNEITER, Switzerland, EPP/CD ; Mr Serhiy SOBOLEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Valeriy SUDARENKOV, Russian Federation, SOC ; Mr Spyridon TALIADOUROS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Petros TATSOPOULOS, Greece, UEL ; Mr Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Mr Imre VEJKEY, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Ms Nataša VUČKOVIĆ, Serbia, SOC ; Mr Jordi XUCLÀ, Spain, ALDE

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

In its unanimously adopted Resolution1441(2005) on "Development challenges in Europe's islands" the Parliamentary Assembly recognized that "islands deserve distinctive treatment due to special socio-economic development constraints, such as limited local resources and markets, often precarious and costly transport links with the mainland, higher living costs and a vulnerable natural environment .In the same Resolution, it adds that "in this context sustainable development represents the best strategy for integrating islands into European and global markets, by maintaining a balance between economic efficiency, social equity and environmental conservation".

In the meantime the situation has not improved. While the economic crisis has burdened the economies of many countries, the islands are in a difficult situation compared to urban areas. New tools are needed in order to address the emerging issues of insular development.

Taking into account Europe's islands are home to over 15,5 million people, it is now increasingly recognized that islands deserve distinctive policies, regarding the economic life, transportation, health services, employment and education.

The Assembly is therefore called upon to examine the implementation of Resolution 1441(2005) by the member States and potentially follow-up this issue with a new report.