Brussels, 30/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - In its spring summit conclusions, the Council underlined “the need to take into account the specific situation of islands”. Given the lack of any further clarification on this issue, MEPs and representatives from island territories have set out their demands in a joint declaration adopted during a European Parliament event on 23 April, organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and François Alfonsi MEP (Greens/EFA, France). The declaration, which was submitted to the Commission, Council and island member states, criticises the consistent failure to sufficiently take into account island territories and their natural and demographic handicaps, despite the fact that these are mentioned in Article 174 of the treaty. The signatories call for the restriction that imposes a 150 kilometre limit for maritime borders to be lifted. They also request a more intense debate on territorial criteria to be taken into account for the post-2020 planning period and, even, that they be introduced at the time of the mid-term review of the next 2014-2020 planning period. They also say that a strategy for implementing the EU 2020 objectives in the islands, Island 2020, should be taken into account in the 2014 budget. According to Alfonsi: “As far as the islands are concerned, with the current proposals of the Commission and Council, the EU 2020 strategy falls short of requirements! We need to establish an Island 2020 Strategy”. (MD/transl.fl)