This Tuesday in Brussels, the Canary Islands asked Spain, France, and Portugal, the countries that have outermost regions (ORs), to make an "effort" to demand an increase in funds for these territories of the European Union with a view to the next multiannual budget of the Union 2028-2034.
The request was made by the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, within the framework of the POSEI Forum of the outermost regions of Europe, where he emphasized the need to increase the financial allocation of the program of specific options due to remoteness and insularity (POSEI).
Clavijo, who participated in a panel focused on agriculture, referred to the numerous challenges faced by European agricultural producers, particularly those from the ORs.
He referred to the current "turbulent times" and how the European Union has been losing "the capacity for food sovereignty" because "less and less has been invested in our primary sector," something that "we have paid for."
The Canarian president stressed that without food and food sovereignty, "there is no possible food security."
In this current context, he considered that "more Europe" is needed and to "return to the principles, to the origins of the EU" to respond to global challenges, and he recalled that one of the pillars of the EU has always been the primary sector.
Regarding the specific needs of the ORs in this area, he said that "France, Portugal, and Spain, with their governments at the helm," should make "an important effort" so that, within the multiannual financial framework to be defined next July, they can "respond" to the existing "good intentions" and needs.
"The answers have to be in the present if you want to have a future," Clavijo stressed.
Aging and unfair competition in the agricultural sector
He spoke in particular about the challenges involved in the aging of the agricultural sector or unfair competition from imports from third countries, whose productions are not subject to the same standards as in the European Union.
And the unfair competition from third countries that do not have the same production systems or the same unfair competition.
In addition, Clavijo called for the incorporation of the so-called "mirror clauses" to ensure that agri-food products compete in fair conditions, demanding the same standards for imports as those required in the EU.
The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, who also participated in the forum, stressed the importance of POSEI, an instrument that "has proven to be flexible and efficient" in helping the ORs, he said.
He acknowledged that it has not been reviewed for years and added that Brussels has taken note of the request from these regions regarding the need to increase the funds for this program.
He recalled, in this context, that the EU is currently at the beginning of negotiations on the future multiannual budgetary framework.
Regarding the unfair competition posed by the entry into the EU of agri-food imports not subject to the same standards, Hansen acknowledged that more "reciprocity" is needed.
Clavijo appreciated that the European Commissioner "understands" the needs of the outermost regions, "not to update but to double the POSEI figure."
Other members of the regional government, as well as representatives from the primary and agro-industrial sector and the Canarian Parliament, participated in the Canarian delegation present in Brussels.
The event also included the presence of the Vice-President of the European Commission, Raffaele Fito, the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Younous Omarjee, the President of the Conference of Presidents of the ORs, Patrick Dollin, as well as MEPs and representatives of the Executives of Madeira and the Azores.