Parliament unanimously backs defending the archipelago's RUP status before the EU

The extraordinary plenary session convened on Friday endorsed the Canary Islands Government’s communication aimed at safeguarding the specific funds allocated to ultra‑peripheral regions in the EU Multi‑annual Financial Framework 2027‑2034.

The Parliament of the Canary Islands, in an extraordinary plenary, backed the regional government’s request to preserve the archipelago’s status as an Ultra‑peripheral Region (RUP) during the negotiations of the new EU Multi‑annual Financial Framework (2027‑2034).

All parliamentary groups (CC, PP, AHI, ASG, PSOE, NC and Vox) supported the initiative, providing a broad political consensus that the Canary executive will present to European institutions and the Spanish State.

President Fernando Clavijo warned that the EU’s new priorities, set against an internationally unstable backdrop, “cannot jeopardise the RUP status,” especially if fund management shifts to a model where only the Member States control the allocations.

In a government statement, he added that such a shift would mean a loss of guarantees and a step back from the principles of equality and cohesion that underpin the European project.

“In these difficult times, a Europe of regions makes more sense than ever,” Clavijo emphasized, cautioning that the new financial framework could weaken that role if the specificities that allowed the Canary Islands to join the EU are not preserved.

Billions at Stake for the Canary Islands’ RUP Status

The endorsed communication lists the defence of ultra‑peripheral region funds as a top priority, deeming them essential for the primary sector’s sustainability. Key proposals include:

• Doubling the POSEI allocation to €3.752 billion to offset cost increases accumulated since 2013.
• Increasing the fisheries budget from €88 million to €101 million.
• Raising per‑capita funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) by at least €773 million.

The document also calls for the future financial framework to explicitly maintain:

• Adaptations on co‑financing, investment eligibility, and financing of essential public services.
• Flexibility mechanisms to compensate structural over‑costs caused by remoteness and insularity.

Additionally, the regional executive seeks:

• Strengthened specific provisions for RUPs in European regulations.
• Greater attention to the Canary Islands’ migratory reality as Europe’s southern frontier.
• Recognition of the ultra‑peripheral dimension in external action and territorial cooperation programmes, such as Interreg MAC, shared with Madeira and the Azores.

A Joint Front of Spain, France and Portugal to Defend RUPs

Politically, Clavijo advocated for a coordinated front among Spain, France and Portugal within the European Council, whose meeting is scheduled for March, to exert decisive influence over the new budgetary negotiations. He noted that the three countries share a common stance on defending ultra‑peripheral regions, backed by the Spanish Prime Minister’s expressed support.

The Canary executive warned that the current budget proposal dilutes the specific allocations for RUPs within national financing, endangering a status valued at roughly €4 billion. If implemented, the changes would affect:

• POSEI under the Common Agricultural Policy.
• Fisheries policy compensations.
• Additional ERDF and ESF allocations.
• Crucial regulatory adaptations needed to fund essential public services, transport, connectivity and health care.

The Canary Islands enjoy a specific recognition as an ultra‑peripheral region under Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, alongside territories such as the Azores, Madeira and several French overseas departments. This legal framework permits differentiated measures to offset structural disadvantages stemming from their geographic location.