The European Commission extends the exemption from emission rights payments for the Canary Islands by five years. Clavijo describes the measure as "vital" to prevent increased ticket and goods prices.
The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, celebrated on Thursday the decision by the European Commission to extend the RUP exemption on air and maritime transport emission charges until 2035. The measure, which directly affects Canarians, prevents an increase in the prices of tickets and goods arriving by ship.
Clavijo recalled that the continuation of this exemption was "vital" for the archipelago, as its end would have meant a rise in the cost of connectivity with the rest of Spanish territory. "The EU has understood that the RUPs need special treatment," declared the president.
A diplomatic offensive that bears fruit
The decision from Brussels comes after an intense campaign by the Canary Government before the State and European commissioners. In May, Clavijo met with Vice President Teresa Ribera and commissioners Apostolos Tzitzikostas and Wopke Hoekstra to advocate for the exemption.
The Canary president also sent a letter to the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, on May 27, urging him to defend the exemption "firmly." "If the EU applies the ETS to our connectivity, there will be an increase in ticket prices and a rise in the prices of goods," Clavijo explained in those meetings.
What it means for the Canarian wallet
According to a report commissioned by the regional government, the full application of the ETS would have increased the price of each inter-island ticket by 2 to 3 euros, and each flight to the mainland by 15 to 20 euros. Moreover, 90% of consumption in the Canary Islands is supplied by maritime means, so the price increase would have been widespread.
The European Commission's proposal also includes a novelty: waste incinerators in ultra-peripheral regions will be able to benefit from exceptions. The measure must be ratified by the Council of Ministers for the Environment and the European Parliament, but Clavijo is confident it will go ahead.
"The goal was for the exemption to be without a deadline, but at least we have managed to extend it until 2035," the president assessed. "It is an important step to guarantee the connectivity and competitiveness of the Canary Islands."
The RUP exemption applies to flights and maritime travel between the islands and the mainland, as well as to ice-class vessels operating on these routes. The Canary Islands is one of nine ultra-peripheral regions of the EU that benefit from this measure.
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