Clavijo warns that approving the financial framework means a de facto expulsion of EU RUPs
The Canary Islands president laments the absence of any Spanish minister and calls for maintaining the EU course amid a “new world disorder.”
Fernando Clavijo, President of the Government of the Canary Islands, warned on Tuesday that the eventual approval of the 2028‑2034 EU financial framework will amount to a de‑facto expulsion of the European Union’s Outermost Regions (OMRs).
“The EU’s foundational principles cannot be perverted in a world that is moving toward a new disorder,” he told journalists during a high‑level forum on OMRs in Brussels.
Clavijo argued that now is the moment for the Union to re‑assert its identity and defend its principles, emphasizing that the EU is “a spirit, an idea,” not merely a group of countries “looking to do business.”
He stressed that the meeting’s purpose is to ensure that Article 347 of the EU Treaty does not become empty of content. He praised the presence of four European Commissioners, representatives from France, Portugal and Spain, the European Commission’s Executive Vice‑President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto, and the Vice‑President of the European Parliament, describing their contributions as “forceful.”
The Canary Islands president also noted the absence of any Spanish minister at the event. He announced that his government will send a letter to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, urging a “equally decisive and committed” stance, because “without unanimity in the European Council, the financial framework will not pass.”
“Canary Islands stand to lose about €4 billion in funding over six years,” Clavijo said, adding that the region is also hurt by bilateral trade agreements such as those with Mercosur, which disadvantage the primary sector because “Canarian products lack the conditions and production costs of the mainland.”
Competitive Disadvantages
Clavijo explained that such trade deals “create many competitive disadvantages” that are compounded by the fragmented territory, remoteness, and insularity of the OMRs. He argued that if the EU truly wants to be a “common space,” it must develop a project in which all actors feel comfortable.
Regarding the announced renewal of the OMR strategy, he called it “an opportunity, provided there is a clear commitment,” suggesting an omnibus decree that would define all the specificities of the OMRs without nationalising every resource.
“If the member state were to make all decisions, we would end up with different policies depending on each state’s priorities,” he warned. This “homogenisation” could lead to “different speeds” affecting agriculture, transport, fisheries, and infrastructure development funded by cohesion and development funds.
“That is precisely what would leave the outermost regions behind,” Clavijo emphasized, questioning “what is the point of the EU if, in the end, the common space ends up being compartmentalised according to each member state.”