The Canarian Executive will work in the coming months to ensure that the new multiannual financial framework 2028-34 of the European Union includes a specific financial package for the Outermost Regions (ORs). The objective is to prevent these funds from being centralized in the member states, and for this, the Government of the Canary Islands expects the support of the Government of Spain.
This was announced by the Minister of Presidency, Nieves Lady Barreto, after the Governing Council meeting. The ORs strategy, recently presented by the European Commission, is considered "fundamental" for improving the rights of the islands and other outermost regions, representing a "step forward" in how Europe understands these territories.
The Governing Council highlights that the European Commission recognizes for the first time the value of the ORs as an "strategic asset in Europe", considering their geographical location, maritime spaces, biodiversity, potential in the blue economy, energy, connectivity, innovation, security, and cooperation with neighboring countries, rather than focusing solely on their structural disadvantages.
For this change in vision to be effective, it must be reflected in the new multiannual financial framework 2028-2034. In this regard, Lady Barreto recalled the letter sent by the Canarian president, Fernando Clavijo, to President Pedro Sánchez, proposing a summit of ORs states (Spain, France, and Portugal) during the upcoming European Council in October.
The minister also addressed the "migratory situation" and the European Pact on Migration and Asylum (EPMA). The Government of the Canary Islands has launched a strategy to convey to Brussels the concern of border regions regarding the new European regulations of the EPMA, with the participation of Deputy Minister Octavio Caraballo in meetings of the Working Group on Migration of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions.
Finally, Lady Barreto emphasized the need for a profound reflection on the migratory phenomenon to avoid tensions in border territories. She urged Spain to apply Article 35 of the Foreigners Law to all territories and the EU to address this phenomenon in a singularized manner within the ORs strategy, as the delay in procedures turns these regions into "holding centers".
