The Popular Party (PP) in the Canary Islands announced on 30 April that it will table a motion in the regional parliament urging Spain’s central government to suspend the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) at the archipelago’s eight airports. Citing reports of hour-long queues since the biometric regime went live on 10 April, PP spokesman Manuel Domínguez argued that the islands—where 35 % of GDP depends on tourism—deserve special treatment under Article 14 of EU Regulation 2025/1534, which allows temporary derogations when border delays undermine local economies. Airport operator Aena acknowledges that Gran Canaria and Tenerife South experienced peak waits of 55 minutes during Easter but says average queue times have since fallen to 19 minutes after it redeployed staff. Still, hoteliers warn that the forthcoming summer season could be jeopardised if families face repeated delays, particularly UK travellers who make up 38 % of arrivals.
![Canary Islands politicians seek exemption from EU Entry/Exit System to safeguard tourism]()
For visitors seeking clarity before departure, VisaHQ provides a streamlined portal with live updates on Spain’s entry rules, personalised alerts on EES developments, and step-by-step assistance for visa or forthcoming ETIAS applications; full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
The regional government of the Canaries, a coalition led by the nationalist CC party, is reviewing the PP proposal and may seek a negotiated “light-touch” EES protocol rather than a full opt-out. Under EU law, Spain would have to notify the Commission of any exemption; Brussels could approve it for renewable 30-day periods if justified by “exceptional operational difficulties”. Industry lawyers note that a Canaries-only suspension would set a precedent for other peripheral regions, such as Madeira or the Balearics, to demand similar treatment. For corporate mobility planners, the key takeaway is that border procedures at Canary Islands airports could diverge from mainland Spain this summer. Programme managers should monitor Aena advisories and update employee travel briefings accordingly. Companies operating seasonal worker rotations to resort complexes should also verify that contractor staff—many of whom are non-EU nationals—carry documentation that can be processed manually if biometric kiosks are bypassed. Regardless of the outcome, the debate highlights the growing tension between EU-wide security initiatives and the operational realities of high-volume leisure destinations. Business stakeholders with interests in the Canaries may find themselves lobbying alongside tourism bodies to ensure that any EES derogation balances security compliance with economic necessity.
For visitors seeking clarity before departure, VisaHQ provides a streamlined portal with live updates on Spain’s entry rules, personalised alerts on EES developments, and step-by-step assistance for visa or forthcoming ETIAS applications; full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
The regional government of the Canaries, a coalition led by the nationalist CC party, is reviewing the PP proposal and may seek a negotiated “light-touch” EES protocol rather than a full opt-out. Under EU law, Spain would have to notify the Commission of any exemption; Brussels could approve it for renewable 30-day periods if justified by “exceptional operational difficulties”. Industry lawyers note that a Canaries-only suspension would set a precedent for other peripheral regions, such as Madeira or the Balearics, to demand similar treatment. For corporate mobility planners, the key takeaway is that border procedures at Canary Islands airports could diverge from mainland Spain this summer. Programme managers should monitor Aena advisories and update employee travel briefings accordingly. Companies operating seasonal worker rotations to resort complexes should also verify that contractor staff—many of whom are non-EU nationals—carry documentation that can be processed manually if biometric kiosks are bypassed. Regardless of the outcome, the debate highlights the growing tension between EU-wide security initiatives and the operational realities of high-volume leisure destinations. Business stakeholders with interests in the Canaries may find themselves lobbying alongside tourism bodies to ensure that any EES derogation balances security compliance with economic necessity.
