“Unlocking Opportunities for Island Businesses: Practical Pathways under the New EU Strategy for Islands (2026)“
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Wednesday, 8 July 2026
๐ 18:00โ19:00 CEST (Brussels time)
The Network of Insular Chambers of the European Union (INSULEUR) is pleased to invite businesses, chambers of commerce, policymakers, regional authorities, researchers and all stakeholders interested in the future of Europe’s islands to participate in its upcoming online workshop: Unlocking Opportunities for Island Businesses: Practical Pathways under the New EU Strategy for Islands (2026)
The event comes at a pivotal moment following the launch of the European Commission’s first-ever EU Strategy for Islands, a landmark policy framework designed to address the structural challenges faced by Europe’s islands while unlocking new opportunities for sustainable growth, competitiveness and resilience.
The Strategy acknowledges the specific constraints of insularityโfrom higher transport and energy costs to limited accessibilityโwhile introducing ambitious measures to strengthen connectivity, innovation, digitalisation, the blue economy, sustainable tourism and the green transition. For island businesses, it opens the door to new funding opportunities, stronger partnerships and practical tools to enhance competitiveness.
A Presentation on the New EU Strategy for Islands
The workshop will begin with a recorded presentation by Ms. Themis Christophidou, Director General at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), European Commission, introducing the key elements of the new EU Strategy for Islands and its implications for island communities and businesses.
High-Level European Panel Discussion
The presentation will be followed by a high-level panel discussion bringing together representatives from leading European institutions and organisations to share their perspectives on the Strategy, discuss its implementation and explore how island stakeholders can fully benefit from the opportunities it creates.
The distinguished panel will feature:
- Giannis Roussos, President of INSULEUR and the Cyclades Chamber of Commerce
- Eleni Marianou, Cohesion Attachรฉ, Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union
- Thomas Bajada, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-President of the SEArica Intergroup
- Noel Formosa, Rapporteur on the EU Strategy for Islands, European Committee of the Regions (CoR)
- Ioannis (Yannis) Vardakastanis, Vice-President of the ECO Section, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
- Maria Garciรฉs i Ramon, Secretary General, CPMR Islands Commission
The discussion will be moderated by George Asonitis, Advisor on EU Affairs (UHC) and Member of the INSULEUR Technical Committee.
INSULEUR is particularly honoured to welcome Mr. Noel Formosa, who will contribute to the discussion from the perspective of the European Committee of the Regions and his role as Rapporteur on the EU Strategy for Islands.
What Participants Will Gain
The workshop has been designed to help island businesses better understand how to turn the new Strategy into concrete opportunities.
Participants will gain insights into:
- the four pillars of the EU Strategy for Islands and their relevance for SMEs;
- available European funding opportunities, including Cohesion Policy, Horizon Europe, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP);
- emerging business opportunities in renewable energy, blue economy, sustainable tourism, digitalisation and innovation;
- practical mechanisms to reduce the costs of insularity through transport measures, State aid, energy communities and improved connectivity;
- opportunities for networking, cooperation and the development of flagship island projects for the 2026โ2030 period.
Registration
Participation in the webinar is free, but registration is mandatory in order to receive the connection link.
๐ Register here:
https://forms.gle/ugdBFnW6BQXBfGrF6
We look forward to welcoming representatives from island businesses, chambers of commerce, regional and local authorities, European institutions, academia and civil society for what promises to be a timely and forward-looking discussion on shaping the future of Europe’s islands.
