Gordan Bosanac is the Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur for shaping the European Parliament's position on the EU's first strategy for islands and coastal communities.

The European Commission has presented its first strategy for islands and coastal communities to provides coordinated support and unlocks the long-term potential of these European regions, home to over 110 million people. 

The strategy focuses on an integrated approach encompassing economy, transport connectivity, energy security, environmental protection, demographics, and resilience to the climate crisis. 

For islands, there are also plans to strengthen public services, healthcare, and education to halt depopulation, while coastal communities are encouraged to develop a competitive and sustainable blue economy, foster innovation, and adapt to climate change.

In response to this package of measures, the European Parliament, through the Committee on Regional Development (REGI), is preparing its own report with the aim of further strengthening cohesion policy for islands and coastal communities, and I have been appointed shadow rapporteur (shadow rapporteur) who will lead this process on behalf of the Greens/EFA parliamentary group.

Given that Croatia is one of the EU's most island-rich countries, this process is crucial for the long-term development and absorption of European funds specifically allocated to our coast and islands!

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