Warning: French areas in danger! Half 1: Corsica - Europe Rendezvous

[ad_1] France is a poor performer on the subject of cohesion in Europe and is marked by rising regional inequalities, regardless of being allotted a whopping €18 billion in EU cohesion funding for 2021-2027. Quite a few areas danger falling right into a "improvement lure": after a interval of progress, they stagnate and even decline, having invested in sectors with little long-term potential. On this first a part of the present inspecting EU cohesion coverage, we're on the French island of Corsica.

Demographic progress, however financial lethargy Corsica has a inhabitants of 260,000. To counter the disadvantages that include being an island, the European Union has allotted €117 million in cohesion funding between 2021 and 2027. Corsica has a robust identification and distinct tradition inside France, however its problem is to develop and innovate with out relying too closely on tourism. We meet those that are driving change on the Isle of Magnificence.

For instance, the EU financed the acquisition of particular tanks to assist struggle the forest fires which have ravaged the island lately. Armen Georgian interviews Captain Stéphane Gherardi from the Corsican Hearth and Rescue Service. We additionally go to INRAE, the Nationwide Analysis Institute for Agriculture, Meals and the Surroundings – the place the long-lasting Corsican clementine fruit reigns supreme – alongside Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis, president of the Corsican Meeting.

We then head to the Stella Mare platform, which specialises in marine and coastal engineering. We discover ways to deal with endangered sea urchins with Emmanuelle de Gentili, the primary deputy mayor of town of Bastia. She is worried {that a} deliberate centralisation of EU funds will sideline Corsica and undermine its capacity to draw the form of tasks that it wants.

In our experiences:

Renaud Lefort analyses the impression of European funds on financial progress and highlights the challenges of utilizing these funds successfully in Corsica.

Luke Brown appears to be like on the renovation of public lighting in Corsica, with 52,000 gentle factors financed by the EU. Higher lighting additionally means a clearer night time sky, as Corsica seeks to acquire the Worldwide Darkish Sky Reserve (IDSR) label. Editor-in-Chief: Caroline de Camaret

Introduced by Armen Georgian

Visible course, Digital camera: Stéphane Bodenne et Renaud Lefort

Stories: Luke Brown et Renaud Lefort

Particular because of Emergency Response Service (Higher Corsica), Bastia Vacationer Workplace, Simone Riolacci (INRAE), Laura Casanova, Sylvain Alessandri (Corsica Vacationer Workplace), Paula Monestié-Andreani (Stella Mare).