Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, in a written answer on 10 July 2026, defended the European Commission's record on supporting island regions under the European Green Deal, stressing that cohesion policy has allocated at least EUR 14.7 billion for islands in the 2021-2027 period. The answer responds to a parliamentary question from Giuseppe Antoci (The Left), who warned that rising energy costs and the shift of ETS burdens along the supply chain disproportionately affect island regions like Sicily and Sardinia, threatening regional cohesion.
Fitto pointed to the EU strategy for islands adopted on 10 June 2026 as a framework for addressing these challenges. He cited specific cohesion fund allocations: Sicily's ERDP programme includes around EUR 37.2 million for TEN-T railway reconstruction and EUR 462 million for other railways, roads, and ports; Sardinia's programme provides around EUR 31 million for sustainable urban transport. The answer also noted that the ETS Directive includes derogations for islands and that the Commission regularly assesses social and economic impacts on their maritime sectors. However, Fitto acknowledged that the directive does not regulate the pass-through of ETS costs from shipping companies to shippers, leaving road hauliers exposed to cost transfers.
The answer offers concrete figures but no new compensatory measures beyond existing funds. It reaffirms the Commission's view that existing cohesion instruments are sufficient, while leaving the door open to future assessments. The response signals that the Commission prioritises accelerating transport decarbonisation as the long-term solution to volatile energy costs, rather than introducing targeted subsidies for freight operators. Institutional follow-up is likely to focus on implementation of the islands strategy and monitoring of ETS impacts, with possible adjustments in future reviews.