ESIN’s man Elefterios Kechagioglou has arrived to the CPMR Islands Commission’s 36th Annual General Meeting. It takes place in Rhodos from 19 to 20 May and will address the topic: “What realities and what opportunities for islands in a changing Europe?”

The first session focuses on Islands and Cohesion Policy where several EU institutions representatives are invited to address CPMR island-members and share with them their views on how islands’ needs can be better taken into account in cohesion policy. Corina CRETU, Commissioner for Regional Policy from the European Commission, Giorgos STATHAKIS, Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism from Greece, while from the European Parliament Dimitris PAPADIMOULIS, member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), Vice-Chair of the European Parliament, and Tonino PICULA, Vice-Chair of the SEARICA Intergroup, Jan OLBRYCHT, Member of the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) are invited to intervene.

Ther is also a presentation by Kostas KOMNINOS (DAFNI) on the Pact of Islands.

A second session will address “the Islands as (un)equal in the internal market: The role of State Aid” where two MEPS, namely Alfred SANT, Member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and Maria SPYRAKI, Member of the Committee on Regional Development (REGI), are invited to exchange with CPMR island-members on how State Aid can be used to address the overcosts that islands face. Inthis context

Last but not least, the emergencies that the Mediterranean regions have faced and the solutions that regional authorities can deliver to address the migration crisis will be put forward in a last debate session on “The reality of the migration crisis: Challenges and opportunities for cooperation”.  Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship is invited to share his views and provide to CPMR island-members some insights on the European Commission proposals. From the European Parliament, Elissavet VOZEMBERG -VRIONIDI and Miltiadis KYRKOS, Members of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, are invited to join the debate and share their views.

Agenda CPMR Rhodos