The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has emphasised that the Spanish government has “already” acknowledged the need to limit property purchases by non-resident citizens in the ultra-peripheral regions of the European Union.

In response to questions from Mixed Group MP Raúl Acosta, Clavijo stated during the regional Parliament session that the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, has announced the inaugural EU housing conference.

This underscores the European Union’s concern regarding the housing shortage, which particularly affects younger individuals, Clavijo noted.

Building More Homes

He reiterated that the Canary Islands Government is implementing a strategy to increase housing availability, as well as encouraging private sector collaboration and amending the local government law to allow municipalities to set criteria regarding property purchases.

Acosta, from the Agrupación Herreña Independiente (AHI), pointed out that Santa Cruz de Tenerife ranks as the second province in Spain for property purchases by non-residents, while Las Palmas is fifth. He added that this trend is displacing locals from their own land.