Clavijo to seek safeguards for EU funding for the Canary Islands, including Fuerteventura

Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo will seek guarantees that the EU’s next long-term budget will protect funding for the islands, including Fuerteventura.

Onda Fuerteventura reported on 4 November 2026 that Clavijo is travelling to Guadeloupe. He will attend the 30th Conference of Presidents of the EU’s Outermost Regions on 5 and 6 November. Delegates from nine regions belonging to Spain, France and Portugal are due to attend.

The talks will focus on the proposed 2028–2034 EU budget. The Canary Islands Government wants EU law to retain clear safeguards for the islands. It does not want these safeguards to depend more on decisions by national governments.

What funding is at stake?

The budget proposal would move much of the EU’s traditional funding into broader national and regional plans. This includes regional development funds, known as cohesion policy funding. It also covers farming and fisheries. The Canarian government fears this could make support for the outermost regions less clear. It also fears weaker safeguards for that support.

Clavijo will seek to keep POSEI’s separate status, rules and funding. This programme supports farming in remote and island territories. He will also seek extra funds for regional development and social support. He will ask for payments to cover the extra costs faced by fisheries too.

The government also wants future spending plans to include a required section for each outermost region. Regional governments would have a direct role in planning and managing investment.

Housing and transport also on the agenda

Clavijo is due to hold bilateral talks with Raffaele Fitto on 5 November. Fitto is an executive vice-president of the European Commission.

On housing, Clavijo will ask the EU to study legal options for proportionate measures on home purchases by non-residents. These would apply in areas where the property market is under particular pressure. This is a request to study legal options, not an announced restriction on buying homes. He will also seek support for social and affordable housing. He wants the islands’ extra building and renovation costs to be recognised too.

For transport, the government wants to extend exemptions for certain air and sea links under the EU emissions trading system. It wants these to last until 2040. The proposals still being negotiated set an end date of 2035.

Clavijo will also request stable funding to receive and integrate migrants. He will seek funding to protect children who arrive without an accompanying adult too. These are priorities for the talks. The report does not announce any new funding award or agreed change in EU rules.