Dr Josianne Cutajar, Council Member of the Gozo Business Chamber, represented the Chamber at European Maritime Day 2026, held in Limassol, Cyprus.

Dr Cutajar participated as a keynote speaker and panelist during the workshop entitled “Pathways for Resilient Islands and Coastal Areas”, organised within the framework of European Maritime Day by the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport and the Research in Shipping and Ports Laboratory at the University of the Aegean.

The workshop brought together representatives from academia, policymaking, industry and island and coastal communities to discuss the challenges and opportunities affecting port cities, coastal regions and islands. The discussion focused particularly on economic resilience, environmental sustainability, social cohesion and the development of a sustainable blue economy.

During her intervention, Dr Cutajar emphasised that, as the European Union advances the European Ocean Pact, islands and coastal communities must not simply be acknowledged, but placed at the centre of its implementation.

She highlighted that insularity is a permanent structural reality which directly affects connectivity, access to markets, competitiveness, business operations and quality of life. These challenges require a stronger and more coordinated European response, including a comprehensive EU Islands Strategy and a dedicated Islands Pact.

Among the principal priorities raised during her intervention were the need to:

  • introduce systematic island-proofing and territorial impact assessments across EU legislation;
  • strengthen maritime and air connectivity as essential public-interest infrastructure;
  • provide greater flexibility within State aid and EU funding rules for island economies;
  • support island SMEs, entrepreneurship, skills development and innovation ecosystems;
  • ensure that the green and blue transitions are fair and proportionate for island regions;
  • create quality economic opportunities that allow young people to remain and thrive in island communities; and
  • improve the availability of harmonised, updated and gender-disaggregated data on islands.

Dr Cutajar also referred to the importance of initiatives such as Youth4Entrepreneurship Gozo, which help young people develop entrepreneurial skills and explore new economic opportunities within the island context.

The Gozo Business Chamber maintains that a just blue transition must also be territorially fair. European policies must recognise the permanent disadvantages faced by islands while enabling their businesses and communities to invest, innovate and develop sustainably.

The workshop’s conclusions are expected to contribute to a set of policy-oriented recommendations to be submitted to the European Commission as part of the continuing discussion on maritime, coastal and island resilience.