The Governing Council has approved this Thursday a report on the situation of care for unaccompanied foreign minors, which proposes a set of action measures aimed at both the State and the European Commission, such as the solidarity referral of at least 500 minors among the autonomous communities.
The report includes the actions that have been carried out to guarantee the care and reception of unaccompanied foreign minors who arrive in boats and canoes to the coasts of the archipelago, and lists the formulas and proposals addressed to both the Spanish State and the European Commission.
The Canary Islands has 21 accommodation resources, launched during this year, which offer care to a total of 1,962 minors; care that the Canarian Government has addressed alone, so, as indicated, it is necessary "urgently to have resources from both the State and the European Union to cover the costs that the Canary Islands must face to deal with this crisis, since there are currently no funds or programs at European level to help the regions in supporting these minors."
The proposal requests the Spanish State to sign a collaboration agreement between the State and the Government of the Canary Islands, on the care of unaccompanied foreign minors, which includes two points: the solidarity referral of at least 500 minors among the autonomous communities, and a specific State fund to help in the management of these children, as articulated in 2008.
In addition, the Spanish State is requested to submit to the European Commission the request for specific funds for the Canary Islands within the remnants of the European Commission's emergency funds in order to be able to commit them before the end of this year.
As for the European Commission, it is requested to allocate, within the framework of these funds, a credible and urgent item to help our region manage the guardianship and care of these almost 2,000 unaccompanied foreign minors.
Likewise, the document contemplates as medium-term measures, the initiation of negotiations with the Spanish State to establish a specific line for unaccompanied minors within the next financial program 2021-2027, and within the framework of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum presented by the European Commission and which is currently in the process of negotiation with the Council and the European Parliament, as well as that specific aid is foreseen within the European Social Fund for unaccompanied minors and their integration.
