One Voice for Europe’s Islands: the 2025 General Assembly of the CPMR Islands Commission sets the tone for a resilient future – New Perspectives for European Islands

Photo credit: © CPMR Islands Commission

Singularities, opportunities, sustainability – three crucial topics that shaped two days of lively debate during the 2025 General Assembly of the Islands Commission. The event brought together regional, national and international representatives in the historical atmosphere of the Museo Insular in Santa Cruz de La Palma (Canary Islands).

The Assembly opened with the welcome speech of Mr. Fernando Clavijo Batlle, President of the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, who emphasized the need to defend EU’s core values of diversity and respect for singularities, especially in the current unstable geopolitical context. Mr. Filip Reinhag, Regional Commissioner of Gotland and President of the CPMR joined him and reaffirmed the Islands Commission’s missions: amplifying the voice of islands in European policies, securing fairer opportunities and fostering sustainable development. Mr. Artur Lima, Vice-President of the Regional Government of the Azores underlined the importance of the IC General Assembly as a key moment for the collective representation and empowerment of island territories.