The Parliament of the Canary Islands has sent the European Union 24 proposals to address the arrival of migrants to the Archipelago. Among the proposals, the president of the Chamber, Astrid Pérez, has highlighted measures such as "the demand for a single command in the Spanish State in matters of immigration or the equitable distribution of the burdens generated at the European borders. She has also highlighted the need to provide more human resources and more effective technical means "for the control of borders".
This initiative is the result of the debate and work table dedicated to migration and asylum, which took place during the Conecta Canarias-Europa Days, with the participation of deputies from all parliamentary groups, with the exception of Vox.
Among the proposals of the Canary Chamber is: "Demand that regional realities be taken into account in the reform of the European Union's migration and asylum policy; request an increase in international cooperation from Europe towards the countries that send the most irregular immigration to the Canary Islands; demand more funding from the State and the EU to create and manage an adequate reception network, also in crisis and emergency situations, or urge the implementation of referral procedures that avoid overcrowding situations."
The Parliament of the Canary Islands has urged the development in state and European regulations of the concept of mandatory solidarity and shared responsibility in matters of irregular immigration and care for unaccompanied minors; that regional governments most affected by migratory phenomena are heard and participate directly in the definition and development of new community migration policies; to generate an improvement in the means and actions to combat trafficking in persons, and to arbitrate an adequate distribution of protected minors.
Astrid Pérez has stressed that, in addition, "an increase in the human and material resources of the State security forces and corps, Maritime Rescue and Frontex is requested; the activation of an agile and transparent transfer policy from the Canary Islands to the rest of Spain and Europe, or the implementation of a joint, common and solidarity rapid reaction system in the event of migratory crises in Europe."
The Parliament has asked that "the Canary Islands function as a humanitarian platform and not as a large detention center" be made possible; the study of legal modifications that address the reception of minors as a state issue, and the urgent approval of a new EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
The Spanish State is also asked to "co-finance the reception of migrant minors together with the regions until it is definitively assumed as a state competence, or to generate information points in transit and at origin to combat the misinformation of migrants."
From the regional Chamber, it has been advocated to "guarantee the right to effective judicial protection of migrants; an increase in European investment in integration, training and learning in the countries of destination and transit; a stable and consolidated structure for the referral of minors welcomed in the Canary Islands to other communities; a rapid family reunification of minors, and the revision of regulations on immigration matters to simplify and shorten the legal procedures for obtaining residence and work permits."
