Article 349 of the "Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union" enshrines the legal concept of ultraperipherality, being one of the priority axes of the FEDER Operational Program of the Canary Islands 2021-2027, the reduction of all those additional costs that hinder the development of the Outermost Regions (ORs).

The additional allocation of the European Regional Development Fund for the ORs can be applied, in the programming period 2021-2027, to the compensation for the transport of goods not included in Annex I of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, regulated through Royal Decree 147/2019, of 15 March, on compensation for the maritime and air transport of goods not included in Annex I of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, with origin or destination in the Canary Islands.

The new framework has set five priorities for EU investments in regional development for the seven-year period 2021-2027:

• A smarter Europe, through innovation, digitalisation, economic transformation and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
• A greener, more carbon-free Europe, implementing the Paris Agreement and investing in energy transition, renewable energies and the fight against climate change.
• A more connected Europe, with strategic transport and digital networks.
• A more social Europe, making the European pillar of social rights a reality and supporting quality employment, education, educational and professional skills, social inclusion and equal access to healthcare.
• A Europe that is closer to the citizens, supports locally managed growth strategies and contributes to sustainable urban development throughout the EU.

The compensation system established is framed within the Operational Program (PO) ERDF of the Canary Islands 2021/2027 in Political Objective 1 (A more competitive and intelligent Europe, promoting an innovative and intelligent economic transformation and regional connectivity to information and communication technologies. ), investment priority P1RUP “Smart, digital and competitive transition RUP” and specific objective RSO1.3. “Strengthen the sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in these companies, also through productive investments. (ERDF)” with the aim of compensating the excessive costs linked to transport that are associated with the condition of the Canary Islands as RUP and increasing the volumes of goods transported from the industrial sector improving the productive fabric of the region. The associated productivity indicator is the E061 “Number of industrial companies - year, whose cost of transporting goods is subsidised” and the result is the RUP02 “Volume of total goods year of industrial products in the Ports of the State of the Canary Islands”.

APPLICATION AND DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION

Applications must be submitted electronically. Interested persons will be able to access the Administration's electronic headquarters, through the Administration's electronic General Access Point.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION ON THE ATLANTIS PLATFORM

Applications must be submitted within the first fifteen working days of the months of April, July, October and January of each year, attaching the documentation outlined in article 12 of Royal Decree 147/2019, referring to the transports carried out in the immediately preceding quarter for which compensation is requested.

Each of the applications will cover all shipments made in a quarter for a certain journey, regardless of whether different goods are transported, determining, where appropriate, the compensable percentage of these.

Applications can be submitted by natural or legal persons with economic activity in the Canary Islands, who are aware of their tax obligations and Social Security, attaching to the application the Model 100 of completed responsible declaration. Only goods not included in Annex I of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Taric Codes) and which prove that they are of Canarian origin or are a product entirely manufactured in the Canary Islands may be the subject of this aid.

• Forms and models accompanying the application

FOLLOW-UP

In application of Law 19/2013, of 9 December, on transparency, access to public information and good governance and Article 115.2 Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013, the list of beneficiaries of this grant is published every year in the link, where it can be followed up:

• Electronic Headquarters of Public Administrations

https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/pagina/index/directorio/atlantis

• National Grants Database (BDNS)

http://www.pap.minhap.gob.es/bdnstrans/es/index

In accordance with Article 49.3 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021, the managing authority shall publish on the single web portal (regulated in Article 46.b) the list of operations selected for assistance from the Funds in at least one of the official languages of the Union institutions and shall update it at least every four months. Each operation will have a unique code.

The activity carried out by the Government Delegation, through the Functional Area of Promotion, for the management of this type of compensation, as an intermediate body to develop management functions of the Operational Program FEDER of the Canary Islands 2021-2027 by delegation of the Management Authority (Subdirectorate General of Management of the FEDER), is subject to periodic audits.

The Government Delegation in the Canary Islands, through its Functional Area of Promotion, carries out a series of communication and publicity initiatives on the content and procedure for the solcitude of these compensations.

• TRAINING SESSIONS

The Functional Area of the Government Delegation in the Canary Islands participates and organizes recurring informative sessions aimed at companies that may be beneficiaries of these compensations.

In the information sessions, the following informational material is presented, which is also sent to companies as a guide:

• TRANSPARENCY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FUNDS AND COMMUNICATION ON PROGRAMMES

Pursuant to Article 50.1 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021, establishing the common provisions relating to the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, as well as the financial rules for these Funds and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support to the Canary Islands Government,

(a) on the official website of the beneficiary, where such website exists, and in their social media accounts they shall give a brief description of the operation, in a manner proportionate to the level of the aid, its objectives and results, and highlight the financial assistance of the Union;

(b) provide a statement highlighting the Union's assistance in a visible manner in communication documents and materials relating to the implementation of the operation, intended for the public or participants;

(c) display resistant billboards or billboards in a place well visible to the public, bearing the Union emblem, in accordance with the technical characteristics set out in Annex IX, as soon as the physical execution of operations involving physical investments or the installation of equipment that has been purchased commences, in respect of operations supported by the ERDF and the total cost of which is greater than EUR 500 000;

(d) for transactions other than those referred to in point (c), they shall display in a place well visible to the public at least one poster of minimum size A3 or an equivalent electronic display with information on the transaction where the support from the Funds is highlighted; in cases where the beneficiary is a natural person, that beneficiary shall ensure, as far as possible, the availability of appropriate information where the support from the Funds is highlighted, in a place visible to the public or by means of an electronic display;

(e) for operations of strategic importance and operations with a total cost of more than EUR 10 000 000, they shall organise an activity or communication act, as appropriate, and involve the Commission and the responsible managing authority in due course.

• FIGHT AGAINST FRAUD

In addition, the form of the National Anti-Fraud Coordination Service is enabled to report facts that may constitute fraud or irregularity in relation to operations financed from funds from the European Union.