The chair of the LIBE Commission commits to act as “Guardian” and protector of the regions regarding Brussels’ application of the European Migration and Asylum Plan.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 7 Mar. (Europa Press) –
A delegation from the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) of the European Parliament is set to visit the Canary Islands in May to gain an understanding of the impact of the immigration crisis and to compile a report for the European Commission.
This announcement was made on Friday by the commission’s president, Javier Zarzalejos, during the ‘Migration Task Force’ working group session at the Peripheral and Maritime Regions Conference (CRPM), attended by the Deputy Minister of the Cabinet of the Presidency, Octavio Caraballo.
In this context, Zarzalejos has vowed to serve as a “guardian” to ensure that the implementation of the European Migration and Asylum Pact satisfies the needs of regions like the Canary Islands, which are at the forefront of migratory pressures, as indicated by the Canary Islands government in a press release.
The LIBE Commission president has deemed it “essential” that the allocation of EU funds aligns with territorial needs rather than merely adhering to the distribution criteria of the Member States.
As per the Canarian government, the visit by the European Parliament delegation to the Canary Islands will fulfil a commitment made by Zarzalejos to President Fernando Clavijo. Consequently, the Deputy Minister of the Presidency Cabinet of the Government of the Canary Islands, Octavio Caraballo, expressed gratitude to the Commission for its “engagement” with the immigration crisis affecting the Canary Islands.
“It seems that in the EU we are heard more than within our own nation,” Caraballo remarked during his address at the CRPM working group in Brussels.
The Autonomous Executive representative seized the opportunity of the ‘Migration Task Force’ meeting to advocate for a “greater involvement” from the EU regarding the Atlantic route “from both shores”.
After outlining the “critical” situation the archipelago is facing, he particularly emphasised the need for Europe to take action due to the saturation and collapse of the unaccompanied minor reception system.
Specifically, the archipelago has requested “the regionalisation of European funds and the adjustment of the EU regulatory framework” to “facilitate the support for the 5,860 children who are currently under the protection of the islands alone.” This is, as they stated, “to ensure the safeguarding of the child’s best interests.”
Additionally, the Deputy Minister has considered it “a priority” for Brussels to initiate a “strategic action” plan in Western Africa that includes reinstating the European mission in the SAHEL and enhancing cooperation with countries of origin and transit for migrants.
Statistics
During the meeting, the regional government representative presented the “critical” status of the islands in this international forum, noting that they are currently supporting “76% of the migration arriving on the Spanish coasts.” They reported that between 2023 and 2024, 86,753 individuals reached the Canarian shores.
“In addition to these survivors, thousands have tragically lost their lives on this route, regarded as the deadliest in the world: the NGO Walking Borders recorded nearly 10,000 fatalities last year,” asserted the Canary Executive.
Caraballo reminded that this migratory pressure has compelled the Canary Islands government to triple its facilities for minors’ reception, now operating 88 centres with an average occupancy rate of 130%, peaking at 40% overload.
The Deputy Minister of the Presidency Cabinet highlighted that this saturation hinders the fulfilment of children’s rights in their entirety. In his view, Spain and Europe “cannot continue to turn a blind eye” as these children “are the responsibility of all, not just that of the Canary Islands.”
The presentation by the Canarian government representative in the ‘Migration Task Force’ of the CRPM was supplemented by two live interventions from the beaches of Nouachott (Mauritania) and the port of La Restinga (El Hierro).
From the two shores of the perilous Atlantic Route, the representative of the Oasis Atlas-Sahel Observatory, Mohamed Amme, and the Red Cross spokesperson on El Hierro, Alexis Ramos, shared their poignant perspectives on this humanitarian crisis and called on the EU for greater involvement in seeking solutions.
According to the government, the working group addressing the immigration challenges within the Regions Commission also had the opportunity to view testimonies from several minors through a video, providing a deeper understanding of the immigration crisis currently plaguing the archipelago.
About ‘Migration Task Force’
Together with the representative from the Canarian government and Zarzalejos, the meeting of the ‘Migration Task Force’ included contributions from the president of the CPMR, Filip Reinhag, the head of the migration working group, Stephane Soriano, from the Valencian Government, and the representative from the Balearic Government, Xesca Ramis, representing another region impacted by migration from Africa.
The Canary Islands have held the vice-presidency of the ‘Migration Task Force’ of the CRPM since the last meeting of this European regions organisation, which took place in early October last year in Gonzo (Malta), where the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, participated as part of a strategy aimed at spotlighting the EU’s focus on the Atlantic route.
The Peripheral and Maritime Regions Conference of Europe is an entity comprising 160 EU regions, established in 1973 to advocate for the interests of European coastal regions.
