Canary Islands Decree Advances with Input from Municipalities and Island Councils

The Government of the Canary Islands, the island councils and the municipalities are continuing the agenda of the so‑called Decree Canarias, a proposal that the regional executive will submit to the central State with the aim of safeguarding essential rights and resources for the archipelago.

On Friday, President Fernando Clavijo convened a meeting with the Canary Islands Federation of Islands (FECAI) and the Canary Islands Federation of Municipalities (FECAM). After the session, the regional president thanked both federations for their willingness to contribute to the text and stressed the need to approach the negotiation with institutional unity.

“The decree does not go against anyone; it is in favour of the Canarians, of the municipalities, of the island councils and of all of the Canary Islands,” Clavijo asserted, emphasizing that the goal is to place the archipelago’s citizens on an equal footing with the mainland and to guarantee rights enshrined in the Statute of Autonomy and the Canary Agenda.

Clavijo highlighted the decree’s main objectives: improving job quality and disposable income for families, strengthening resources for municipalities and island councils to assist the most vulnerable groups, financing strategic infrastructure, and consolidating transport aid.

“We would give the archipelago peace of mind in a context of national and international instability, because we would guarantee rights,” he added.

Key Measures

• Protection of local participation in state taxes for 2026‑2027, maintaining the same funding level as the 2023 General State Budget.
• Free bus service (guaguas) guaranteed until 2027, funded by an annual state contribution of €160 million.
• Funding secured for the Gran Canaria and Tenerife railway projects.
• Dedicated funds to address energy and water emergencies.

Island‑Specific Perspectives

In the island arena, Lola García, President of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura and head of FECAI, praised the decree’s spirit but emphasized the need to reflect territorial diversity.

“It is important to value the reality of each island to guarantee equity and ensure that aid reaches those who need it most, so that no island or person is left behind,” García said, citing Fuerteventura’s distance, higher transport, energy and water costs, and reliance on vulnerable sectors.

FECAI announced that a meeting will be held next Monday to discuss and approve the contributions that the island councils will forward to the Canary Government, while FECAM will review the document from a municipal perspective. Both organisations agreed on the necessity of defending the Decree Canarias with a single voice before the State.

Specific Package for La Palma

• Extension of the 60 % IRPF deduction for residents.
• Continuation of the Special Employment Plan.
• Funding for the Recovery Plan.
• Tax‑rule exemption for the Cabildo and municipalities affected by the volcanic eruption.

Additional Provisions

• Social‑security bonuses and tax deductions for the “green islands.”
• 50 % state co‑financing of land‑transport works in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

The Canary Government expects to approve the Decree Canarias proposal in the Council of Government next Monday as a communication, after which it will be forwarded to the regional Parliament and further defended before the central executive.