Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, in a written answer on 22 June 2026, acknowledged the structural challenges faced by the Canary Islands in decarbonising transport, including insularity, territorial fragmentation, and limited charging infrastructure, while pointing to existing EU frameworks and financial instruments as the primary response. The answer, addressed to a parliamentary question by S&D MEP Juan Fernando López Aguilar, stops short of proposing new differentiated measures, instead emphasising that current rules already provide flexibility.
Hoekstra noted that the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) includes derogations for outermost regions, such as exempting maritime and air transport within and to/from the mainland until 2030, and that airlines from outermost regions receive the highest ETS support for sustainable aviation fuels. He also highlighted that the 2026 ETS Directive review will assess connectivity and territorial cohesion concerns. For road transport, he argued that EU CO2 standards apply at manufacturer level, allowing varying regional uptake of zero-emission vehicles.
the Recovery and Resilience Fund, ETS auction revenues, cohesion policy funds (notably the European Regional Development Fund), and the Social Climate Fund, which can support vulnerable households. The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility also backs charging infrastructure along the Trans-European Transport Network. The answer did not announce new financial support for fleet renewal, instead pointing to existing schemes.
The response signals the Commission's preference for using current derogations and funds rather than creating new, region-specific rules, a stance that may disappoint advocates seeking stronger tailored support for outermost regions. The 2026 ETS review will be a key moment to revisit these provisions.