The European Commission acknowledges that transport costs in outermost regions can be up to 300% higher.

Omissions

• The 300% figure originates from new OECD data cited in the Commission's June 2026 EU islands strategy and refers to island businesses and residents generally, not specifically to outermost regions (RUP); the same strategy reportedly left outermost regions' dedicated framework pending.
• The source describes the figure as an extreme ('can skyrocket by more than 300%') rather than a typical or average surcharge, so using it as a general measure of the cost of insularity is a selection of the most striking end of the range.
• Only one independent secondary source containing the exact 300% figure was found; the primary European Commission newsroom page confirms the existence of the islands strategy but the specific percentage is carried by the secondary report.
• The original French quote refers to 'insularité' (insularity), which the extractor normalised to 'outermost regions'; strictly, the figure is documented for islands/insular territories.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Commission — Commission presents first-ever EU strategies for islands and coastal communitiesCommission presents first-ever EU strategies for islands and coastal communities (10 June 2026). Both strategies align with the European Ocean Pact (launched in 2025) and complement broader EU policies on climate action, cohesion, and ...
• SecondaryConsulta Europa — Brussels unveils first-ever dedicated strategy for EU islands, but leaves outermost regions waitingAccording to the findings, transport costs for island businesses and residents can skyrocket by more than 300% compared to mainland benchmarks. The strategy draws heavily on new data from the OECD detailing the severe economic penalties borne by island communities.