The Canarian president expresses concerns that article 349 of the treaty, which acknowledges the unique characteristics of the island, may be weakened within the EU.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 23 December. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has initiated a campaign targeting the new European Commission to advocate for the status of the archipelago and the outermost regions (ORP) within the EU.
He has achieved this by sending a series of letters to the commissioners handling essential files, intending to prioritise the distinct treatment that the nine most remote territories of the continent require to mitigate their isolation and remoteness.
The correspondence dispatched to Brussels highlights the “concern” prevalent in the Canary Islands and all outermost regions regarding the potential dilution of the application of Article 349 in the upcoming financial and legislative framework of the EU.
This article, effective since 2016, ensures specialised treatment for the outermost regions, as noted by a Government statement.
In the six letters directed to various commissioners, the head of the Executive underlines the “concern” stemming from the contents of the mission letter from the President of the European Commission.
“From reading it, one could conclude that vastly different situations are being treated as equivalent – those of the outermost regions and other areas experiencing specific challenges, for which article 174 stipulates a unique approach within the cohesion policy,” the letters articulate.
The president of the Canary Islands reminds the new European commissioners that the outermost regions “encounter a set of circumstances that do not exist in other European territories, thus necessitating a differentiated application of the Treaty as outlined in articles 355 and 349,” directly referring to the ORs included in the ‘European Constitution’ as “guarantor of consideration for our unique circumstances within the legislative procedures of the Union.”
To further analyse these particular realities and demands of the ORs, the president has requested meetings with the European commissioners in Brussels, contingent upon their availability.
Additionally, he invites them to “personally experience” the Canary Islands and “discuss the most effective ways to advance the European strategy towards the ORs that the European Commission has been crafting for decades, taking into account our opportunities as well as our numerous challenges.”
STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES
In his communications to the new European ‘ministers’, Clavijo emphasizes the hurdles that the ORs face due to their distance from the continent.
“For decades, our regions have endeavoured to align with the European average, yet their structural challenges complicate this journey. Therefore, we continue to require European support and a regulatory framework that aligns with our economic and geographical realities,” he asserts.
The head of the Government also points out that while the gross domestic product of the archipelago is on the rise, “its per capita distribution remains on a decline, potentially making it one of the European regions that has experienced the most significant decrease in this economic indicator.”
“The outsourcing of the economy, overpopulation, and increasing immigration due to instability on the nearby African continent contribute to unrest within the Canary Islands,” states Clavijo in the letter directed at the Executive Vice President for Cohesion and Reforms of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto.
The letters authored by the president of the Canary Islands inform each European commissioner about the distinct needs of the ORs within their jurisdiction.
In each correspondence, Clavijo outlines the issues or files in which the members of Von der Leyen’s Executive should consider the particular status conferred upon the outermost regions by Article 349 of the EU Treaty.
Consequently, the president of the Canary Islands seeks the Executive Vice President for a clean, fair, and competitive transition, Teresa Ribera, for her “crucial support” regarding the renewal of the economic and financial incentives outlined in the REF.
Moreover, he requests that Spanish policy acknowledge “the complete dependence of the Canary Islands on external factors and on air and maritime transport when devising the regulatory framework for new climate measures.”
AREA BY AREA
In the instance of the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Cristophe Hansen, Clavijo explicitly demands the revision of the financial file of the POSEI of the ORs, an aid programme that has not seen an increase in 20 years and is fundamental for the primary sector of the Canary Islands.
To the individual in charge of climate, net-zero emissions and clean growth, Wopke Hoekstra, Fernando Clavijo conveys the concerns of the Canary Islands regarding the application of the Emissions Trading Directive to the maritime sector and the status of the islands’ ports with respect to the implementation of the Maritime Fuel EU Regulation.
The letter from the president of the Canary Islands addressed to the Commissioner for Budget, Fight against Fraud and Public Administration, Piotr Serafin, centres on the EU budget for 2028-2033, ensuring that it maintains specific financial support for the ORs, while also advocating for ongoing differentiated treatment of the outermost regions in agricultural policy, fisheries policy, and the enactment of adapted rules within cohesion policy.
Lastly, in his correspondence to the Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jorgensen, Clavijo presents two clear priorities for the Canary Islands and the ORs.
In energy matters, he requests a specific regulatory framework encompassing indefinite exceptions for isolated energy systems.
Furthermore, in light of the challenges the islands face concerning housing access, the president invites the Commissioner to consider the Canary Islands as an “exceptional laboratory” to roll out the first European affordable housing plan that Von der Leyen has announced.
