The first in-person meeting of the European Islands Policy Network
The first in-person meeting of the European Islands Policy Network (EIPN) was hosted by Finland in early September 2025. Participant countries shared knowledge and experience from islands in Finland, Ireland, Croatia and Scotland against the background of the Finnish islands of Utö, Suomenlinna and Pargas.
The Finnish context brought out many relevant questions in relation to island life. The main themes discussed were: population retention, sustainable tourism, life in island communities, and overall, the habitability of islands – what makes island conditions favourable for a year-round population and communities that flourish.
The representatives from Finland were delighted by the shared enthusiasm for island policy, and the network’s chance to discuss these themes together in the context of Finland’s beautiful islands. Elina Auri, the Chief Specialist in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Secretary General of the Island Committee, commented on the trip as follows –
We were very pleased to have the EIPN network visit Finland – in three days we had time to show the participants both the Finnish urban archipelago and the outer archipelago. It was interesting to hear topical issues from each country. We share many of the same questions and challenges, which is why it is important to share best practices with each other.
The participants heard from many policymakers and researchers, like the team at Åbo Akademi, working on the habitability concept and its application to Finnish islands. The network also had the pleasure of meeting Mikko Ollikainen, the Chair of the Island Policy Committee, as well as Milla Öystilä, the tourism specialist at the Governing Body of Suomenlinna, and Benjamin Donner, the Head of Archipelago Affairs in the town of Pargas.
During the visit, EIPN participants updated each other on the exciting law and policy developments taking place in each country. Finland is in the process of developing a new piece of island-focused legislation, Croatia is close to passing its own new piece of legislation, Ireland is implementing the Action Plan of the Living Islands Plan, and Scotland is in the process of developing its new National Islands Plan.
The Scottish Government representative Lewis MacAskill found the meeting to be an inspiring way to dive deeper into island policy.
It was a privilege to take part in the first face-to-face meeting of the EIPN. The exchange of ideas and experiences enriched our collective understanding of island policy, while the Finnish setting brought these discussions to life. Many thanks to Elina, Laura, and Hanna-Mari for their dedication and for creating such a welcoming and productive environment.
Overall, the meeting provided an important opportunity for the network countries to share experiences of their own island policies and legislation, as well as witness how this policy context is practically implemented in Finland.
The Chair of the EIPN Secretariat, Prof. Francesco Sindico, commented on the visit:
It was great to see all countries in the network represented by one of their island-policy-related officials in Finland. Spending time together in person and learning from each other allows them to bring back to their countries (and their islands) examples from other countries. The Secretariat looks forward to continuing to support the network and working closely with Finland, Scotland, Ireland and Croatia.
The Irish officials also regarded the trip as a valuable experience for officials working in island policy.
The first in-person meeting of the EIPN was a most informative and beneficial experience. It gave the participants the opportunity to get to know each other and exchange information about island policy in their respective countries, as well as experiencing that policy in action in the Finnish context. Míle buíochas / a thousand thanks to our hosts Elina, Laura and Hanna-Mari for their hard work in organising the trip and making it so enjoyable.
