Eduardo González
The People’s Party parliamentary group in Congress has asked the Government to promote greater participation of Ceuta and Melilla in European institutions in the negotiation of the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034 and to propose to the European Commission that the two Spanish Autonomous Cities be treated as outermost regions, given their dual status as extra-peninsular territories and as an external border of the Union.
In a non-binding motion presented on October 13th and published on October 28th in the Official Gazette of the Spanish Parliament (BOCG) for debate in the Joint Committee on the European Union, the People’s Party (PP) warns that “economic, social, and territorial cohesion is not a declaration of intent: it is one of the founding commitments of the European Union” and recalls that Articles 174 to 178 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) “oblige us to work to ensure that no territory is left behind, reducing inequalities and paying special attention to those regions that, due to their geography or structural conditions, suffer permanent disadvantages.”
In the opinion of the People´s Group, “there is no clearer example of these realities, nor two territories in Spain that fit this definition better than Ceuta and Melilla,” two cities with “unique characteristics: they represent the southern border of Europe, suffer the effects of their distance from the mainland, endure constant migratory pressure, a limited labor market, and an excessive dependence on vulnerable economic sectors.”
These circumstances, it continues, translate into “their unemployment rates, their infrastructure deficiencies, and the fragility of their local economies,” which demonstrate that “European cohesion should be applied here more intensely than anywhere else.”
“Ceuta and Melilla’s membership in the European Union is not limited to geography, as they form part of the Union’s territory in accordance with Article 52 of the TEU and Article 355 of the TFEU. Therefore, guaranteeing their economic and social development is not only an obligation of Spain, but also of the Union itself, which has the duty to safeguard the territorial integrity of its Member States and the cohesion of its own political project,” the Popular Group warns.
The European Union, the PP recalls, “has already demonstrated that it can recognize and address unique territorial needs through the specific status of the outermost regions (ORs), and although Ceuta and Melilla are not included in that category because they are not islands, their isolation, their distance from the European mainland, their status as the EU’s external land border, as well as their structural disadvantages, follow the same logic.” Therefore, it warns, “denying them analogous treatment would amount to applying a double standard contrary to the spirit of the Treaties.”
“In this context, and given that negotiations for the next European budget (2028-2034) have already begun, it is crucial that Spain firmly defend Ceuta and Melilla,” since “the decisions made in the coming months will determine Ceuta and Melilla’s access to European funds until 2034. Therefore, any delay or lukewarm response from Spain in this initial phase would mean missing a unique opportunity to ensure that the two cities have access to stable and strengthened resources,” the text continues.
“The problem isn’t in Brussels; the problem is that the Spanish government has neither been able nor willing to advocate for specific treatment for the two cities in European institutions,” the People’s Party (PP) asserts. “While other territories have achieved recognition and resources, Ceuta and Melilla continue to depend on opaque management, lacking strategic reports, disaggregated data, and a genuine medium- and long-term vision,” it adds.
“A top-priority European issue”
“The most serious aspect is that we are not just talking about territorial justice or internal equity; we are talking about a top-priority European issue. Ceuta and Melilla are not just any two cities: they are Europe’s physical border in Africa, a space where the social, economic, and security stability of the entire Union is at stake,” warns the People’s Party. Therefore, “failing to strengthen their development is tantamount to weakening all of Europe at one of its most sensitive points.”
Furthermore, it continues, “Ceuta and Melilla not only represent an economic and social challenge, but also a geopolitical flashpoint,” and therefore, “their economic weakness makes them more vulnerable to external pressures and attempts at political manipulation by third countries. Thus, strengthening their development is not only a cohesion imperative, but also a European security measure that reduces risks on the southern border.”
Therefore, the PP’s motion urges the Government to “defend in European institutions the full application of Articles 174 to 178 TFEU to Ceuta and Melilla” and to “promote in the Council and before the European Commission the recognition of Ceuta and Melilla as priority territories for cohesion, with equal treatment to the outermost regions.”
It also requests that “a formal proposal be submitted to the European Commission requesting the equivalence of Ceuta and Melilla to the outermost regions within the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework, justifying their aggravated status as ‘extra-peninsular’ territories and external borders of the Union, or, failing that, request the creation of a new category adapted to the realities of Ceuta and Melilla.”
The People’s Group also proposes the creation of “a specific working group between the State and the Autonomous Cities, with the participation of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Territorial Policy and Migration, to develop a coordinated strategy on Ceuta and Melilla, in preparation for the negotiation of the next European budget, thus ensuring that the proposals, projects and needs of both cities are an active part of the Spanish position in Brussels.”
