The Joint Committee for the European Union, composed of members from the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, has unanimously approved a Non-Legislative Proposal (PNL) with the consensus of all political groups. This initiative aims to strengthen Spain's position in favor of maintaining POSEI as an autonomous program of the European Union and requests an increase in its budgetary allocation.
This proposal comes at a critical juncture for the future of the Outermost Regions (ORs) and key sectors such as the Canary Islands banana. The negotiation of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 is underway, and the European Commission had initially proposed eliminating the singularity of POSEI, integrating it into the funds of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRPP).
The text of the approved PNL incorporates the demands of the ORs' productive sectors. It urges the Government of Spain to defend two essential points before the Council of the European Union and the European Commission: to maintain POSEI integrally as an instrument separate from the national or regional plans of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and to increase its funding for the 2028-2034 period. Furthermore, it calls for a joint stance from Spain, France, and Portugal to preserve the program's autonomous legal framework and its differentiated financing.
“"The approval of this initiative sends a clear message to the European institutions about the importance of preserving a policy that has proven effective for decades in sustaining agricultural activity in territories with permanent structural limitations. We are not only talking about the future of the Canary Islands banana but also about Europe's capacity to maintain primary sector and agro-industrial production across all its territories and ensure true cohesion between regions."
The Association of Organizations of Canary Islands Banana Producers (ASPROCAN) considers the defense of POSEI to be of general interest for Spain and Europe. This program is vital for ensuring the continuity of strategic agricultural productions in territories facing permanent geographical challenges, contributing to food security, rural employment, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion.
The update of POSEI's financial allocation is another key demand. The program's funding has remained unchanged for twenty years, despite the increase in logistical, energy, and input costs, as well as new regulatory and environmental requirements. This has significantly eroded its compensatory capacity, necessitating a budgetary adjustment to current economic realities.
The unanimous backing from the Cortes adds to the previous support from the European Parliament for a strengthened POSEI with sufficient financial resources. The sector expects the Government of Spain to take an active and leading role in the negotiations within the Council of the European Union, coordinating with France and Portugal to ensure the preservation of this program, which is essential for the economic and social stability of the ORs.
