PRESS RELEASE
SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY AND TOURISM AS DRIVERS FOR
ECONOMIC GROWTH IN EUROPEAN ISLANDS
Friday 8th of June 2018 | 10.00 to 13.00
European Economic and Social Committee, Rue Belliard 99, 1040 Brussels
Sustainable mobility and tourism as drivers for economic growth in European islands was the issue discussed during the Public Hearing organized by the Network of the Insular Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the European Union (INSULEUR) and the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems Lab of the Technical University of Crete (ReSEL-TUC) on Friday 8th of June 2018 at the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), in Brussels. The event, taking place as part of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW 2018), was organised in partnership with the EESC and was supported by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the European Small Islands Federation (ESIN).
Welcoming speeches were addressed by: Pierre-Jean Coulon the President of the Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN) of the EESC, Georgios Benetos and Joe Grech of INSULEUR Presidency, Giuseppe Sciacca the Executive Secretary of Islands Commission, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR).
The dialogue between island representatives/stakeholders and representatives of the European Commission (DG ENER, DG GROW, DG ENV, DG REGIO) and members of the European Parliament focused on how to efficiently address the specific, varying insular challenges for safer, clean and connected mobility and how to unlock the potential of EU islands to be frontrunners in the clean energy transition by adopting new technologies, implementing and demonstrating innovative solutions also in transport.
The event attracted more than 60 participants, mainly representatives of insular chambers, public authorities, representatives of European associations and stakeholders from the tourism, energy and mobility sectors.
