Island Development Programme

 

The Island Development Programme is a key tool in island policy and one of the four regional development programmes mentioned in the Government Decree on Regional Development. The programme is designed to utilise the characteristics of islands, the sea, lakes, rivers and shorelines in order to promote regional development mainly in rural-like areas. The wider section of the programme applies to the whole country and the narrower section to the island areas mentioned in the Government Decree on Island Municipalities and Islands Part of Other Municipalities to which the Provisions on Island Municipalities Apply.

 

The Island Committee draws up the programme together with ministries, Regional Councils, municipalities, businesses and civic organisations. Based on the programme, the Government makes a resolution on island development. The ongoing programme is from 2007 to 2010.

 

The main targets of the Island Development Programme in force are to implement coastal and beach policy, turn leisure-time dwellings into second homes or even the primary form of dwelling, and make island and water-based tourism into a European attraction factor. Securing the traditional means of livelihood, such as fishing and farming, and creating new expertise-based means of livelihood are a visible part of the programme. The needs of recreation, environmental protection, landscape protection and culture are taken into account from the whole country’s point of view.