Gozo's problems relating to its geographical double insularity were discussed yesterday at the regional development committee of the European Parliament.

The point was raised by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil at a time when the committee is compiling a report on island states.

The report is called The Islands And Natural And Economic Constraints In The Context Of The Regional Policy and is being drafted by Italian MEP Francesco Musutto. It will spell out ways of bringing into the mainstream the specific constraints of such islands into EU regional policy.

Dr Busuttil outlined the specific problems faced by islands such as Gozo, which he said, depend on another country which itself is an island.

The MEP underscored the hurdles faced by producers on such islands, who have to pay higher costs than their competitors on the mainland when it comes to export. Very often the focus is on the fact that imports to an island are more expensive. Although this is true, it was important to consider the fact that exports also suffer from an unfair disadvantage, he said.

Constraints that are endemic to islands must be addressed on a permanent basis and not with one-off measures. These constraints are unlike other problems because they will always be there due to the geographic location.

Dr Busuttil also highlighted the need for wider mainstreaming of these disadvantages not only into cohesion policy but also into other policies such as competition and more so the rules governing allowable state aid.