The outermost regions of the European Union: towards a partnership for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

The present Communication sets out how the Commission plans to work inpartnership with the outermost regions (OR) for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Council has stressed that the Europe 2020 Strategy with its three main priorities, namely, developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation, promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy and fostering a high-employment economy, and delivering social and territorial cohesion, should be fully applied in the outermost regions taking into account their special characteristics and constraints. The Council recognised "the need for a balance between measures to offset the specific and permanent constraints of the outermost regions on one hand and those that aim to promote their advantages and opportunities on the other".