Regionální politika a nejvzdálenější regiony

Evropská unie eviduje devět nejvzdálenějších regionů, které jsou zeměpisně velmi vzdálené od evropského kontinentu:

Guadeloupe a Réunion (2 francouzské regiony);
Mayotte (1 francouzský zámořský departement);
Francouzská Guyana a Martinik (2 francouzská územní společenství)
Svatý Martin (1 francouzské zámořské společenství);
Madeiru a Azory (2 portugalské autonomní regiony);
Kanárské ostrovy (1 španělské autonomní společenství).

Další nástroje

Jedná se o ostrovy a souostroví, které leží v Karibiku, západním Atlantiku a Indickém oceánu, a o některá území amazonského pralesa. I když se nacházejí daleko od evropského kontinentu, jsou tyto regiony nedílnou součástí EU. Žije zde přibližně 4 800 000 obyvatel (stejně jako v Irsku).

Na nejvzdálenější regiony se vztahuje právo EU a všechna práva a všechny povinnosti související s členstvím v EU, s výjimkou případů, pro které platí specifická opatření či odchylky. V souladu s článkem 349 SFEU účelem těchto specifických opatření je řešení problémů, jimž nejvzdálenější regiony čelí v důsledku své odlehlosti, izolovanosti, malé rozlohy, obtížné topografie a klimatu či ekonomické závislosti pouze na několika produktech.

Nejvzdálenější regiony mohou využívat financování v rámci politiky soudržnosti prostřednictvím Evropského fondu pro regionální rozvoj a Evropského sociálního fondu.

A European Strategy for the Outermost regions

The European Commission has set out strategic orientations in favour of the outermost regions in four Communications (2004, 2008, 2012 and 2017).
The latest Communication of 24 October 2017 (COM (2017) 623 final), A stronger and renewed strategic partnership with the EU's outermost regions, proposes a new approach to provide opportunities and better address the specific needs of each of the nine outermost regions. By encouraging the regions to capitalise on their unique assets, the strategy helps them create new prospects for their people, boosts competitiveness and innovation in key sectors, and deepens their cooperation with neighbouring countries.
The Strategy is based on four pillars:

Strong partnership: the strategy foresees a closer cooperation between the outermost regions, their respective Member States and the European Commission, establishing a closer dialogue in the shaping and implementation of EU programmes and policies.
Building on assets: the strategy encourages the outermost regions to make use of their assets through investments in growth-enhancing areas such as blue economy, research, circular economy, space science, responsible tourism, or renewable energy; it also focus on the modernisation of key traditional sectors such as fisheries and agriculture sectors.
Enabling growth and job creation: with higher unemployment rates, the outermost regions require specific measures to increase employability and skills, in particular amongst young people. The strategy aims to strengthen exchanges in the field of higher education and training and to support the mobility of young professionals.
Scaling up cooperation: the strategy contributes to deepening the outermost regions’ ties with neighbouring countries by facilitating the uptake of joint projects and initiatives.

The European Commission has also reviewed the progress made with the implementation of previous strategies in the staff-working document (Part 1 / Part 2 ) accompanying the Communication.

The implementation of the 2017 strategy to date

1. Implementing the strategic partnership with the Outermost Regions

2. Outermost Regions in Commission proposals for EU programmes 2021-2027

Since the adoption of the 2017 Communication, there has been significant progress in implementing the measures envisaged. The European Commission has enshrined the specificities of the outermost regions in 21 proposals for future EU programmes across a wide range of policies, including cohesion, research, agricultural and fisheries policies.

Cohesion Policy

The Commission proposed that the outermost regions continue receiving a specific additional allocation; that they benefit from the maximum rate of EU co-financing of 70%; and that they can invest EU funds in airports (not allowed in the rest of the EU).
The Commission further proposed a specific outermost regions’ component under the European territorial cooperation goal (‘Interreg’) to support outermost regions in their integration in the parts of the world where they are situated.

Maritime and Fisheries Policy

Under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the Commission proposed to allocate EUR 315 million to support the fisheries sector in the nine regions, including the continuation of a 100 % compensation for additional costs linked to their specific situation. The financial package earmarked for these regions aims to help develop sustainable fisheries and a sustainable maritime economy and to support small-scale coastal fishermen.

Agricultural and Biodiversity Policy

The proposal for a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy maintains the POSEI scheme – a special programme dedicated to the outermost regions with a financial support of EUR 627 million per year.
The Commission proposed further funding from the European budget for rural development, supporting biodiversity in agriculture and forestry and promoting the economic development of rural areas. The Commission proposal provides the most advantageous rate of European co-financing for the outermost regions (70%).
The Commission further proposed that the environment and climate action programme LIFE pays special attention to the outermost regions in its calls for proposals. The programme will support small projects for protecting biodiversity and ecosystems in these regions.

Investment and Infrastructure

The Commission proposal for InvestEU envisages that Member States can transfer part of their shared management resources to this new instrument — particularly in vulnerable and isolated regions such as the outermost regions — in order to access the guarantee provided by the EU budget.
The Commission proposal for the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) foresees support for transport projects in the outermost regions, including maritime ports and urban roads, with a higher rate.
The Digital Europe programme’s proposal seeks to contribute to greater connectivity and better digital skills in the outermost regions. Digital innovation hubs will help these regions to participate in the Digital Single Market.

Education and Research Policy

The proposals for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes seek to step up the outermost regions’ participation, in particular cooperation with third countries.
Under Horizon Europe, the Commission proposed to open the 'Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence’ programme” – to share expertise and help countries & regions lagging behind – to the outermost regions to help them build on their assets and develop their full potential. Horizon Europe covers important topics for the outermost regions such as renewable energy, combating climate change, tropical diseases, biodiversity and the blue economy.

Migration

The proposed new Asylum and Migration Fund and the Internal Security Fund envisage to provide Member States with resources to help their regions manage migration sustainably and address situations of migratory pressure with which some outermost regions are faced.

3. Other initiatives put forward by the Commission

In 2019 and 2020, the Commission included the outermost regions’ concerns and interests in a range of initiatives.

European Green Deal

The Commission committed itself in the “European Green Deal” Communication to paying particular attention to the role of the outermost regions, taking into account their vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters and their unique assets: biodiversity and renewable energy sources. In its 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan, the Commission pledges to tailor circular economy solutions to the outermost regions and islands, due to their dependence on resource imports, high waste generation fuelled by tourism, and waste exports.

European Semester

The Commission recommended key sectors of investment in the outermost regions to France, Portugal and Spain in 2019. The 2019 Council’s specific recommendations further call on these Member States to use cohesion funds taking into account regional disparities and the situation of the outermost regions.

EU-Mercosur agreement

The Commission analysed the possible impact of trade agreements under negotiation on the outermost regions. The 2019 political agreement on the trade part of the EU-Mercosur Association agreement contains a safeguard clause to protect outermost regions’ local production.

In November 2018, the Commission further presented a series of concrete measures to promote innovation, circular economy and blue growth.

Public aid for the purchase of new vessels in the outermost regions

The amended guidelines on public aid for fisheries and aquaculture allow, exceptionally, the purchase of new vessels in the outermost regions, with the possibility of higher assistance rates for small and medium-sized vessels. This decision stems from the need to ensure fleet safety and protect an economic activity that is important to these regions.

Project FORWARD: promoting research and innovation in the outermost regions

The Commission launched a coordination and support measure backed by EUR 4.3 million under Horizon 2020, to which the outermost regions responded with the 3 year project FORWARD.
Bringing together 24 partners from the nine regions and coordinated by the Canary Islands, the project aims to increase these regions’ capacity to participate in international research projects.
The project will analyse the innovation systems of these regions and mobilise local stakeholders around long-term innovation strategies based on their specific strengths (‘smart specialisation’).

Better access to the Juncker Plan and flourishing investment projects

The European Investment Advisory Platform (the "Hub") has formulated recommendations to improve access to finance for small and medium companies in the outermost regions.
More than EUR 2.2 billion in additional investments were mobilised by the European Strategic Investment Fund (EFSI) in the outermost regions.

Tailored support from the EU, with the launch of two task forces in Reunion and the Canary Islands

The Commission launched two task forces to provide tailor-made support to two outermost regions: a task force on energy transition with the Reunion Island (2018) and a taskforce on waste management with the Canary Islands (2019).

Regionální politika a nejvzdálenější regiony

A European Strategy for the Outermost regions

The implementation of the 2017 strategy to date

1. Implementing the strategic partnership with the Outermost Regions

2. Outermost Regions in Commission proposals for EU programmes 2021-2027

3. Other initiatives put forward by the Commission

EU policies and financial support for the outermost regions

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