The European Commission has adopted the first dedicated EU strategies for islands and coastal communities, setting out a coordinated approach to support territories facing specific geographic, economic and climate-related challenges.
The strategies cover more than 4,000 islands across 16 EU Member States, home to around 17 million people, and coastal areas across 22 Member States, where around 95 million people live.
Many islands face challenges such as geographic isolation, limited connectivity, high transport costs, reliance on fossil fuels, water scarcity, demographic decline and reduced access to essential services. Coastal communities, meanwhile, are at the frontline of climate change, biodiversity loss, marine pollution, housing pressures and seasonal economic activity.
The EU Islands Strategy is structured around four pillars: economic development and connectivity, energy security and climate resilience, communities and demography, and security and crisis preparedness. It aims to support renewable energy, climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, public services, capacity building and better integration of island needs into future EU and national policies.
The EU Coastal Communities Strategy focuses on prosperity, resilience and liveability. It promotes a diversified blue economy, locally led solutions, climate adaptation, maritime heritage and new opportunities linked to innovation, offshore renewable energy and coastal resilience.
Together, the two strategies aim to strengthen economic opportunities, improve quality of life and help islands and coastal communities turn shared challenges into long-term strengths.
- Publication date
- 10 July 2026
- Author
- European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency