"The Canary Islands received 47,000 irregular migrants in 2024. Of these, 5,700 were unaccompanied minors. These figures cannot leave anyone indifferent. Let’s be clear—no region in Europe is prepared to bear such pressure alone, especially without a solid legal framework that ensures a stable structure of European solidarity. We need to address these challenges through multi-level governance and with adequate funding and capacity support." Celia Alberto Peres, Director-General of European Affairs for the Government of the Canary Islands, during a conference on "Reception of unaccompanied migrant minors and opportunities in the countries of origin – the role of cities and regions," held in Tenerife, Canary Islands.
Addressing local and regional leaders from across Europe, Alberto Peres said: "There is currently no European legal framework that specifically and thoroughly regulates the protection and reception of unaccompanied migrant minors. This legal gap is no small issue—particularly when regions like ours are forced to shoulder disproportionate responsibilities without the necessary support."
She emphasized the importance of engaging local and regional authorities and ensuring financial support: "We cannot continue to be mere executors of decisions made far from our realities. Nor can we support multilevel governance if it is not accompanied by adequate funding. We need EU funds to be distributed according to objective and transparent criteria, reaching directly those who handle arrivals, reception, and the mobilization of public resources to guarantee health, education, and social protection."
Dimitrios Kafantaris, Municipal Councillor of Pylou-Nestoros, Secretary General of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece, and member of the CIVEX Commission, highlighted that the Greek state has adopted a National Strategy for Unaccompanied Minors, which includes positive provisions such as access to education and healthcare.
He outlined the challenges encountered: "Many of our municipalities have actively participated, despite institutional and financial difficulties—with responsibility and sensitivity. However, the challenges remain: lack of funding, lack of institutional representation of local authorities in policy planning, and understaffing of social services."
Kafantaris made several proposals to address existing challenges:
- Stable and direct European funding to municipalities, without excessive bureaucracy or exclusive mediation by state authorities;
- Strengthening the technical capacity and social structures of local authorities;
- Institutional representation of local government in national and European policy planning forums;
- Exchange of good practices and joint integration programs with other European cities.
He stressed that the local governments' experience and proximity to citizens are advantages the EU must utilize.
Addressing CoR members was also Javier Zarzalejos, Chair of the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament. He said: "The Parliament has consistently advocated for the involvement of regional and local levels in the development and implementation of migration policies, as regional and local authorities are at the forefront of managing arrivals and reception. Our Committee took note of the European Committee of the Regions’ opinion adopted in October 2024, highlighting the local and regional perspective of the Common Implementation Framework for the Pact on Migration and Asylum."
He continued: "It was indeed at the Parliament’s request that explicit references were made to regional and local authorities as key interlocutors for Member States when preparing and establishing their national strategies. These strategies are necessary to implement national asylum and migration management systems, which also include preventive measures to reduce migratory pressures and contingency planning. These plans provide comprehensive measures to deal with potential disproportionate pressure on reception systems and aim to enhance their efficiency. "We hope and trust that Member States will make full use of this opportunity, as Parliament believes that regional and local involvement will undoubtedly improve and strengthen these strategies. Member States receiving funding for the full implementation of the Pact should take into account the needs of affected regions in the allocation process.
Jesus Gamallo Aller, Director General for External Relations and Relations with the European Union, Regional Government of Galicia criticised that the recent redistribution of unaccompanied minors carried out by the Spanish government across the different regions. "We see this as an imposed distribution. Nothing has been discussed with us. This redistribution is, therefore, political in nature. There are regions that will not receive any unaccompanied minors for political reasons. Galicia is already beyond our hosting capacity. We must all work together and demand support from the EU and fight the traffickers."
Background Information
Although migration is primarily a national competence, local and regional authorities play a crucial role in protecting unaccompanied migrant minors. This presents numerous challenges on the ground—but also innovative solutions, many of which are supported by EU policies, action plans, and funding.
Unaccompanied migrant minors are children under 18 who enter an EU country without a legally responsible adult. In 2023:
- 24% of asylum applicants in the EU were minors, totalling 272,000 applicants.
- 40,000 unaccompanied minors applied for international protection—just a fraction of the estimated 100,000 currently in Europe.
- 51,100 migrant minors were ordered to leave the EU, representing 4.5% of total returnees.
Regions have success stories to share. For example, the city of Łódź, under Mayor Hanna Zdanowska, supports school integration for migrant children through native-language educators and supplementary language lessons.
During the recent CIVEX meeting in tenerfie, EPP-CoR members discussed the ‘return regulation’ published by the European Commission with Karin Müller, State Secretary for European and International Affairs and De-bureaucratisation of the State of Hesse, the CoR Rapporteur on establishing a common system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU. Local and regional leaders expressed concern that the Commission proposal could place additional strain on already-stretched accommodation and integration capacities, increasing financial, staffing, and administrative burdens—especially for families with children and unaccompanied minors. They called for adequate funding and support.