Call for ESIN Board meeting no

Transcription

1 CALL Call for ESIN Board meeting no Date & time Location Wednesday May 3 rd 2017 at 10:00 GMT Telephone conference, please call: Denmark Croatia Estonia Finland France Greece Ireland Italy Sweden United Kingdom Conference room code: For more information: 1 Opening Members attending Chair Croatia: Denmark: Estonia: Finland: France: Greece: Ireland: Italy: Scotland: Sweden: Aland: Approval of agenda 2 Approval of minutes from last Board meeting (March 21 st ) Approval of minutes

2 3 News from the members Member Notes Action 4 Finances Financial statements 5 Discussion issues Energy data requested from DG Energy On April, 4, Camille wrote: We have been given a tall order, that of gathering data for DG Energy from Finland, Denmark, Estonia and Scotland. If we don't get it done, we are not in the Atlas for the EU islands Energy outlook, and our islands don't get included in the funding package. This is what Brendan Devlin told us on Wedsnesday 29 March. As simple as that. A tall order since it took 2 years for the SMILEGOV project to gather their data for example. So a difficult challenge, but a simpler task than SMILEGOV. Brendan knows that as smaller islands we are resourcefull and we always seem to find a way and I guess this is why he is confident that we will come up with the goods. This is the letter we received: Estonia is sorted. Finland and Denmark need to find a way. Could the Energy Academy in Samsø help? Any contact in Finnish universities? 2

3 Feedback to the CAP Entrepreneur -ship project Smart Islands meeting on March 28, Brussels Report from Camille, see 03/30/creating-new-pathways-for-euislands/ Bengt s review of the CPMR response and suggestion for ESIN. Action points from last board meeting: 1 All to read s sent by John on 21 March. 2 John, Camille and Kirsty to draft a short project description. 3 Each partner to contact their own Rural Network/ LEADER to clarify the rules and process for transnational co-operation projects within their own country and report back to John Smart Islands Global Forum on April 20-21, Mallorca Report from Camille, see /03/18/to-be-an-island-should-not-bea-problem-but-a-pillar-of-development/ EESC Public Hearing on entrepreneur ship on islands On June 2, INSULEUR in collaboration with EESC and ESIN is organizing a Public Hearing on Entrepreneurship on Islands. It is a follow-up of the Smart Island and Inclusive Island initiatives adopted by the EESC and the opinion on Entrepreneurship on Islands: contributing towards territorial cohesion, to be adopted by the Committee of Regions next May. Background: The majority of insular SMEs are micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees which produce and produce a large part of the economic value in islands. Craft professions carpenter, butcher, baker, roofer, metal worker or information technician are at the heart of European islands Camille will attend and writes: Can you please put your mind to this topic and prepare some general comments at least although specifics would be good! 3

4 communities. They produce mainly within their local base, ensure jobs and vocational training for young and old, and make an essential contribution to innovation in the European economy. Craft and small enterprises face particular problems due to their small size and limited resources. The globalisation of the economy and enlargements of the EU have also considerably changed the challenges that these enterprises face. Starting up a new business and getting the required capital is a challenge, as is finding the right kind of finance to expand an established business. Due to their limited resources and remoteness they suffer more from red tape and administrative burdens than mainland enterprises. Objective: the public hearing will examine if existing policies and tools to support SMEs are sufficient for insular SMEs or some new tools or mechanism, mentioned also in the opinions, are needed to help these companies to tackle obstacles and participate on a equal foot in the integration process and assure therefore a level playing field. The program is attached. EESC Opinion on the islands in the EU Following the public hearing on Malta, the EESC has published an 11-page exploratory opinion called Islands in the EU: from structural handicap to inclusive territory, see ecoopinions.40453&_cldee=y2hyaxn0awfu QHBsZWlqZWwuYXg%3d&recipientid=c ontact- 991ac15aeabae61191ea005056a d5e65965f4bd d70111e5a &esid=656cfef4-b31b-e711-91ea a05070&urlid=0 EUSEW awards ESIN is one of the three finalists for the EU Sustainable Energy Awards, islands category, for what we have done with Simskäla island in the SMILEGOV project: eu-sustainable-energy-awards 4

5 Orkney AGM Kirsty and Camille will present a very provisional budget for Orkney, Loganair prices will now be online. 6 Next meeting Date and time 23 rd of May at 10:00 GMT Camille Dressler Chairman Christian Pleijel Secretary 5