“It is a gradual, laborious task, in which we will need to combine numerous supports and wills,” he stated before the deputies of the regional assembly.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, APR. (Press Europa) –
The president of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, discussed on Wednesday the anticipated “legislative changes” within the European Union, addressing fresh challenges faced by the outermost regions, including the Canary Islands, to resolve issues related to housing and demographic challenges after the XXIX Conference for the Presidents of Ultraperipheral Regions. “It is a gradual, labourious task, in which we will need to combine numerous supports and wills,” he emphasised.
In an appearance at the Canarian Parliament Plenary, Clavijo, who reflected on the outcomes of the Islands Commission, highlighted the necessity of aligning the primary economic sector, tourism, with the quality of life and residential capabilities of Canarian locals, while ensuring the effective distribution of wealth compatible throughout the islands.
Alongside this, he remarked that during the Islands Commission meeting in La Palma, data regarding the impact of housing purchases had been presented, emphasising the importance of “renegotiating” the status of the outermost regions within the EU Treaty following over 40 years of membership.
He also underscored that a special commission has been established in the European Parliament to address housing needs and to derive plans for affordable housing funded by the EU. “Moreover, I can already suggest that in the upcoming meeting with Commissioner Rafael Fito, there will be a portion of those cohesion funds that could be redirected towards housing, allowing for 30% anticipated co-financing and granting us an additional year to implement it,” Clavijo added.
In this context, he clarified that these funds will focus on water, housing, competitiveness, security, and sustainability. “We will have a chance to redirect some resources toward security, and we possess substantial projects like the Technology Park of Fuerteventura, the Canarian police itself, or any initiatives related to the satellites from the IAC,” he continued.
The regional president expressed his intention to soon meet with Borja Jiménez, the spokesperson and rapporteur in the European Parliament, to relay “objectives and needs.” He also announced his intention to address the committee of regions concerning cohesion policy, advocating for decentralisation and multilevel governance to advance in the outermost regions.
“In this regard, together with the Tourism Commissioner, it has been conveyed that he will review the sustainability of pressured areas to comprehend how the European Union should act in order to share best practices with communities in the most affected areas, facilitating the exchange of successful management strategies and collating essential data for managing the inflows of people,” he stated.
Summarising the outcomes of the Islands Commission, held in La Palma, Clavijo noted that the engagement with the general director of the Regions Committee has opened, in essence, a “window” for transferring all legal reports and concerns regarding housing and residential matters from the islands.
“It is a gradual, laborious task, in which we will need to join a multitude of supports and wills,” Clavijo reiterated, sending a message appealing for backing from the parliamentary groups in the Regional Chamber, which he intends to summon shortly.
Parliamentary Groups
Raúl Acosta, a deputy from the Herreña Independiente Group, asserted that while discussions at these European meetings typically revolve around “asking, defending, requesting, and expressing,” there is now “a heightened tone of concern.” He stressed the need for a “calm approach, with a well-considered explanation, and especially with unanimous backing from this chamber,” similar to the response toward the migratory crisis.
Casimiro Curbelo, representing the Gomera Socialist Group, in his defence that “Canary Islands is Europe and Europe is Canary Islands,” underlined that “no community has an external dependency as significant and prominent as the Canary Islands, nor faces all the inconveniences arising from its remoteness.” “It is an extraordinary community,” he declared.
“It is vital that we unite, setting aside political disagreements when necessary, to reach agreements aimed at reinforcing an autonomous community like the Canary Islands, which requires our collective efforts,” he argued.
Paula Jover from Vox highlighted the demographic challenge facing the islands and raised concerns about “uncontrolled populations” and the issue of “illegal immigration.” He pointed out how continuous flows stemming from this situation “impose additional pressure on the public expenses of the outermost regions.”
“We also acknowledge the progress being made in addressing the issue at the source, but I urge you to take action at the origin by establishing agreements and initiatives to ensure minors receive assistance in their home countries,” he remarked.
“I implore you, please, to protect and defend our borders,” he urged Clavijo.
Luis Campos, the NC-BC spokesperson, emphasised the significance of advocating for “collaborative efforts” at a time that is “deeply intricate and challenging” on an international scale, although Fernando Clavijo warned that many of the issues currently brought to Europe are part of its domestic policy with the Canary Islands and must therefore be undertaken from the islands themselves.
“We require a robust response, from both the State and the European Union,” commented the spokesperson for the popular group in Parliament, Luz Reverón, who requested a “genuine European agenda” for the islands before the plenary.
She thus advocated for a significant increase in resources allocated for immigration management that the outermost region must take on, and highlighted the necessity to enhance and maintain cohesion policies “as a central pillar of European integration.”
Residence Law
David Toledo from the Canarian Coalition defended “the clear roadmap” of the regional administration, which now aims to propose a residence law to limit property purchases by foreigners, a proposal he termed “complex” yet “legally feasible.”
“They claimed that the 75% discount for residents was unachievable, that it was impossible to offer free transport on buses and trams (…). And do you know what? Eventually, all these so-called impossibilities materialised because when the Canary Islands unite and believe in themselves, remarkable things occur that others deem impossible,” he stated.
In response to the request for support to tackle the challenges facing the Canary Islands with Europe, Sebastián Franquis from the PSOE remarked that his party “will provide it,” as they view the ability of the Canary Islands to leverage the forthcoming political and economic momentum from the European Commission as “essential.”
Concurrently, he called upon Clavijo to exhibit “responsibility” in this process regarding Europe, especially in light of the statements made by the spokesperson for his political party, Canarian Coalition, concerning the feasibility of establishing a residence law, a status that certain EU countries possess precisely because they had such legal frameworks prior to entering the community.
