​The COTER commission of the Euroepan Committee of the Regions met on 13 April in Tenerife (Canary Islands) to evaluate the development strategy of the outermost regions (ORs) of the European Union in the post-2020 perspective.

The ORs face many challenges, such as remoteness, climate change, natural hazards, etc. and the aim of this seminar was to lay the foundations for a paradigm shift: to get rid of economic dependence, develop sustainable activities and to enhance the circular economy.

Several island projects in the field of renewable energies, blue economy and the valorization of biodiversity have shown that it is possible to transform constraints into assets within these territories and have led the ORs to demonstrate to Europe that they can contribute to sustainable growth and social integration.

Nanette Maupertuis, CoR rapporteur on entrepreneurship and territorial cohesion on islands, moderated the session on blue growth and innovation (marine resources, fisheries, renewable energies) during which the participants stressed the need to develop cooperation by major sea basins and advocated for the involvement of ORs in H2020 projects.

The EA delegation was represented by Ms Nanette Maupertuis (EA COTER coordinator), Mr Stanisław Szwabski and Mr Kieran McCarthy.