The report presents the progress the Commission has made in implementing the 2022 strategy for the outermost regions. It shows that the Commission has delivered on its commitment to reflect the outermost regions’ characteristics in legislative proposals, policy initiatives and programmes.

The outermost regions have high potential to develop circular economy solutions. Cohesion policy supports circular economy development there. Both the ERDF and Interreg support waste management and recycling, for instance in Réunion with EUR 18 million of ERDF funding dedicated to the circular economy. Outermost regions also benefit from support under the LIFE programme. Several of these regions have designed circular strategies, such as the Circular Economy Conference of the Azores.