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

Since the adoption of the 2017 strategy, significant progress has been made in implementing the proposed measures.

Enshrining OR specificities in the Commission’s proposals for the future EU programmes

In early summer 2018, the European Commission enshrined the specificities of the outermost regions in 21 of its proposals for future EU programmes across a wide range of policies, including cohesion, research, agricultural and fisheries policies.
Under Cohesion Policy, the Commission has proposed that the outermost regions continue receiving an additional allocation and the maximum rate of EU co-financing; and that they can invest EU funds in airports (not allowed in the rest of the EU).
The Commission further proposed that a specific component is set up under the European territorial cooperation goal (‘Interreg’) to promote joint projects with third countries and help these regions integrate better in the parts of the world where they are situated.
The Commission further proposed that EUR 315 million is allocated to support the fisheries sector in the nine regions, including the continuation of a 100 % compensation for their additional costs linked to their specific situation. The financial package earmarked for these regions will also help to develop sustainable fisheries and a sustainable maritime economy and to support small-scale coastal fishermen.
The proposal under Common Agricultural Policy continues to follow the POSEI (Programmes of Options Specifically Relating to Remoteness and Insularity) approach to support farmers in those regions with EUR 627 million per year. Direct payments available to farmers in the outermost regions will remain well above the support levels paid in other parts of the EU.
Further funding is available 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 % instead of the 43 % rate granted to the other regions).
In addition, the Commission proposal for the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) foresees that CEF supports transport projects in the outermost regions including maritime ports and urban roads.
The Commission proposal for InvestEU foresees 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 Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes as proposed by the Commission seek to step up the outermost regions’ participation in all the programme measures, in particular cooperation with third countries in the case of Erasmus+.
To help the outermost regions to build on their assets and develop their full potential, the Commission proposed that an initiative to share expertise, 'Sharing Excellence', is open to these regions under the future research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe. Furthermore, some of the programme’s themes correspond to the unique resources of these regions, (i.e. renewable energy, combating climate change, study of tropical diseases, biodiversity and the blue economy) thus encouraging these regions to participate in the programme.
The Digital Europe programme as proposed by the Commission seeks to contribute to greater connectivity and better digital skills in these regions. The new digital innovation hubs, as foreseen under the programme, will help these regions to participate fully in the Digital Single Market.
The Commission further proposed that the environment and climate action programme, LIFE, pay 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.
The new Asylum and Migration Fund and the Internal Security Fund will provide the Member States concerned with resources to help these regions to sustainably manage migration and address situations of migratory pressure.

Other initiatives put forward by the Commission

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: to promote research and innovation in the outermost regions

The Commission launched a new 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. 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’). 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.

Better access to the Juncker Plan and flourishing investment projects

With more than EUR 2.2 billion in additional investments mobilised by the European Strategic Investment Fund (EFSI) in the outermost regions, the Juncker Plan confirms its solid foothold across the oceans. The European Investment Advisory Platform (the "Hub") has also formulated recommendations to improve access to finance for small and medium companies in these regions..

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

The Commission can set up, on request of the regions, taskforces to address specific issues, as foreseen in the strategy for the outermost regions. Two examples are the task force on waste management launched in the Canary Islands and the task force on energy transition in the Reunion Island. The task force on waste management brings together Canary companies, the European Commission, the Government of Spain and the regional government, to work together to set up effective waste prevention and recycling systems. The task force for energy transition in the Reunion Island monitors and supports initiatives on the management of energy demand, combats energy poverty, and promotes self-generation of energy and e-mobility.
You will find more information on EU funding in the outermost regions and more examples of the implementation of the strategy in the regional factsheets.

Regionální politika a nejvzdálenější regiony

A European Strategy for the Outermost regions

The implementation of the 2017 strategy to date

EU policies and financial support for the outermost regions

Videos

Events

Key Documents

Legislation and other measures

General factsheets:

Regional factsheets and projects examples

Programmes ERDF/ESF 2014-2020

Contributions of the Regions and the Member States

Studies and publications

Témata

Publikace