The Community presents at the General Assembly of the CPMR Islands Commission

The Community of Saint-Martin was represented in Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, in order to participate in the General Assembly of the Islands Commission (CDI) of the Conference of European Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR), on 22 last February, as well as at the International Seminar on the future European regulation of the law for the restoration of nature, on February 23.

This lobbying body, of which the Community is a member, encourages institutions European authorities to take into account the characteristics of the islands of the European Union, when developing European policies.

On this occasion, several themes of interest for the territory were addressed, like the challenges of European island regions, territorial development, the sustainable blue economy (climate change and decarbonization in transport and energy).

Ms. Martine BELDOR, territorial advisor in charge of European Affairs and alternate member within the CDI, recalled during his speech, the energy vulnerability of the Outermost Regions (OR), underlining the strong dependence on the importation of fossil fuels from our island and "the political will to be part of a green transition approach based on the development of clean energies and the control of energy demand. ".

In this regard, Ms. Beldor mentioned the preparatory work for the Multiannual Energy Program (PPE) 2024-2033, as well as the objectives making it possible to engage the energy sovereignty of the territory. She also emphasized the importance of support from the State and the EU “by means of regulatory, technical and financial tools adapted to our realities”.

L The other element highlighted was that of the European legislative package “Fit for 55”, currently being negotiated within the European institutions. This new regulation will impact vital sectors for our regions such as air and maritime transport.

“This set of legislative measures cannot, ultimately, further penalize our populations who already bear exorbitant prices which are are seen reinforced by the increase in the price of fuel” and therefore the need to find “a fair balance between the environmental imperative, the high costs that our already vulnerable populations will have to bear and the accessibility deficit that we face. »

This general assembly closed with the adoption of a Final Declaration inviting the European institutions to adopt a European agenda for the European islands.

An International Seminar on the draft European regulation

Law for the restoration of nature

The 2nd Vice-President in charge of the Living Environment delegation, Ms. Bernadette DAVIS, represented the Community during this seminar. This draft regulation is part of the implementation of the Green Deal adopted by the European Commission.

The draft regulation sets legally binding restoration objectives, namely the restoration of 20% of areas land and maritime areas of the EU by 2030, then by 2050, the restoration of all endangered ecosystems. Each Member State, including France, must adopt a National Restoration Plan in which the restoration measures to be implemented must be included. The ORs must benefit from specific measures within the framework of this plan.

This seminar was therefore an opportunity to discuss the issues relating to the legislative text, in particular the role of the regions, administrative obstacles, financing, the impact on fishing, agriculture, tourism, the cross-border dimension, etc.

Ms Davis spoke on the question of the cross-border dimension. She recalled the important contribution of our regions to the EU through their natural wealth and the alerts linked to environmental protection and the climate. The protection of biodiversity and the fight against climate change being shared issues that extend beyond the border, Ms. Davis specified that “this observation requires a constructive and permanent political and institutional dialogue with our neighbors in the area. ". She also highlighted the need to have a “regulatory arsenal adapted to our specificities, capable of encouraging our non-European partners to adhere to it” and to make greater use of “the possibilities offered by article 349 of the Lisbon Treaty in terms of derogations and adaptations."

In conclusion, the Vice-President highlighted three key elements:


The lack of data, inventories, scientific knowledge, an element to take into account in the development of national plans;
The importance of involving regional authorities in the development of these plans to better take take into account our realities;
Continue reflection on ways to facilitate synergies between the funds available for each actor, European and non-European, and facilitate access for our local actors to European horizontal programs such as LIFE+, in order to 'to support the deployment of restoration measures and to make possible the financing of studies for the development of solid scientific knowledge to support these measures.


Participation in this type of This event allowed the Community of Saint-Martin and the two elected officials representing the institution to present the challenges of our territory and the most urgent means to be implemented to recognize its specificities and sustainably support its development.