EU high-level conference on islands and coastal communities held in Paphos

The Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU and the European Commission are hosting a high-level conference in Paphos on June 25-26, 2026, focused on strengthening EU islands and coastal communities. Key participants include Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela. European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto and Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis are presenting two new comprehensive EU strategies. These strategies aim to address the needs of 17 million island residents and 95 million coastal residents across the bloc. Topics include economic competitiveness, sustainable blue economy, climate change, connectivity, and demographic resilience. On June 25, participants were scheduled for a tour of EU-funded projects in Paphos between Grigori Afxentiou Street and Hani of Ibrahim. Formal conference proceedings are held on June 26, commencing with an address by President Christodoulides. The event highlights efforts to integrate region-specific policies into broader EU development frameworks.