Insuleur Presidence activity and meetings

Insuleur President Mr Romano Mambrini had different european meetings during the last week of January 2005, after the diffusion of Insuleur's position paper on the proposal of the new structural funds regulations for 2007-2013. Insuleur wanted to draw the attention of the European, national, regional and local institutions on the weaknesses of the proposals on the situation of insularity.

In Brussels, Mr Mambrini, Mr Alexandre Czmal (Insuleur representative in Brussels), Mr Georges Assonitis and Mr Mario Frontoni (Insuleur technical Committee members) met European Deputy Mr Kostantinos Hatzidakis ( rapporteur at European Parliament of regulation's proposal on general dispositions on structural funds). Mr Mambrini, presenting Insuleur's Position Paper, insisted on the islands problems and specially on the handicaps SMEs have for their development.

Mr Hatzidakis appreciated Insuleur's technical documents and assured he would take them into consideration for his study.

In Brussels, during a seminar organised by Unioncamere of Rome, in partnership with the European Commission, Mr Mambrini had the opportunity to discuss with Mr Michele Pasca Raimondo, Vice-general Director of GD Regional Policy of European Commission. He presented Insuleur's Position Paper and he was assured there will be an answer to these proposals.

In Brussels, Mr Mambrini and Mr Georges Kassimatis (Insuleur Vice-President) also met Eurochambers President Mr Christoph Leitl. During this meeting, Mr Mambrini suggested

• to promote a cooperation between Eurochambers and Insuleur network to strengthen the defence of the insularity questions at european level;
• to solicit Eurochambers participation in European projects concerning Islands CCI and SMEs;
• to make Insuleur network join Eurochambers.

In Athens, Mr Mambrini, accompanied by Mr Elias Michalikis (President of EOAEN - Greek Islands CCI Association) was officially invited by the Greek Institutions to exchange views on insularity. He first met Ms Elisabeth Papazoi, former Greek Foreign Minister, to discuss with her the Position Paper and suggest future cooperation.

Mr Mambrini later met Mr George Mergos, General Secretary for the Greek Economy Ministry (representing Minister Christos Folias who was in Brussels). President Mambrini discussed Insuleur's Position Paper and asked for Mr Folias support during the next European Ministers Council meetings in Brussels. Mr Mergos gave Mr Mambrini a recent study elaborated by the Economy Ministery on the situation and the problems of the Greek islands.

President Mambrini, EOAEN President Mr Michalikis, Mr Assonitis and Mr Frontoni of the Insuleur Technical Committee finally took part in a meeting held at the Aegean Sea and Greek Islands Development Ministry, under the direction of Minister Aristotelis Pavlidis and Vice-Minister Kourkoumelis. Mr Jean-Didier Hache of CRPM (European Maritime Peripheral Regional Conference) was present as well.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mr Pavlidis appreciated the work done by Insuleur about insularity and expecially the Position Paper on the structural funds. The discussion was focused on a recent European Commission document about the revision of the directives on State aid and regional development: was noted that this document does not take into consideration insularity problems.

Mr Pavlidis asked CPRM and Insuleur for help and proposed to work at every level against this document and to present European Commission proposals to change it before the end of February.

Mr Pavlidis suggested to organise next months in Rodi a European Conference on insularity and asked CRPM and Insuleur to help for the organisation of this event.