The institution led by Oswaldo Betancort calls for the national budget to include an adequate financial provision for the primary sector that fully covers contributions to the POSEI, a burden currently borne by the Government of the Canary Islands.
The Lanzarote Cabildo unanimously approved an agreement in an extraordinary session on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening the commitment of the institution led by Oswaldo Betancort to ensure the effective implementation of the Specific Options Programme for Distance and Insularity (POSEI). This measure firmly urges both the Spanish Government and the European Commission to “fulfil their legal and budgetary responsibilities towards the primary sector of the Canary Islands, which is vital for the economic and territorial sustainability of the Archipelago.”
The agreement, debated and supported by a majority in the plenary session, demands that the national government adhere to Article 24.2 of Law 19/1994, which regulates the Economic and Fiscal Regime of the Canary Islands (REF). Specifically, it calls for the national budget to annually include a sufficient financial allocation to fully cover the national contribution to POSEI, as stipulated by current legislation.
Currently, this financial burden is partially handled by the Government of the Canary Islands (around €5.19 million in 2022 and €8.57 million in 2023, for instance), which “reduces the resources available for the agricultural and livestock sectors in Lanzarote and La Graciosa.”.
“From Lanzarote, we advocate for a state and European policy that understands our specificities and finances them adequately. We cannot allow Canary Islands institutions to shoulder a responsibility that also belongs to the State and Europe,” stated Samuel Martín, the councillor who chaired the plenary, following the agreement’s approval.
Updating the POSEI Financial Profile
Furthermore, the Cabildo calls on the European Commission to update the financial profile of POSEI for the period beyond 2027. The rationale behind the agreement notes that production costs in the Canary Islands have risen by 50% since 2007, while European funding has remained stagnant. This lack of adjustment jeopardises the competitiveness of local producers and threatens the achievement of the programme’s objectives.
Additionally, the agreement addresses the situation of the fishing sector, proposing that the POSEICAN-Fishing programme, currently linked to the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund (FEMPA), be aligned with the support model of agricultural POSEI, comprising two pillars: direct aid and sustainable development. This alignment would ensure consistency with European regulatory frameworks and bolster the economic sustainability of the fishing sector in the Canary Islands and other outermost regions.
