29. 6. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 171/5 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 26 June 1991 setting up a programme of options specific to the remote and insular nature of the Canary Islands (Poseican) ' (91/314/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, . Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, : Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1911/91 of 26 June 1991 on the application of the provisions of Community law to the Canary Islands ('), and in parti- cular Article 9 thereof, Having regard to the amended proposal from the Commission (3), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parli- ament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas the Canary Islands suffer from a serious struc- tural lack of development aggravated by a number of constraints (insular naturé, remoteness, small size, difficult terrain and climate) whose unchanging nature and combined impact have serious effects on their economic and social development ; whereas these special constraints make it necessary to step up Community support in order to ensure that the Canary Islands are fully involved in the dynamic of the internal market ; whereas this Community support takes the form of operations under the reformed Structural  Funds (enjoying the priority given to the Objective 1 regions), but must also ensure that the special i (") See page 1 of this Official Journal. (» OJ No C 67, 15. 3. 1991, p. 12. () OJ No C 158, 17. 6. 1991. (*) Opinion delivered on 30 May 1991 (not yet published in the Official Journal). constraints affecting the Canary Islands are taken into account in the application of common policies, in accor- dance with the Community approach to the remoter regions, of which the adoption and implementation of the Poseidom programme for the French overseas depart- ments is the first practical example ; Whereas to achieve this, the Council, pursuant to Article 9 of Regulation (EEC) No 1911/91, must adopt a multi- sector programme of operations involving legislative measures and financial commitments to allow for the special constraints on the Canary Islands in the applica- tion of common policies ; ‘ Whereas, for the purposes of implementing this programme, the necessary legal acts will be adopted either by the Council or by the Commission, as appropriate, before 31 December 1992 ; whereas the duration of the application of the measures to be adopted could, in certain cases, be linked to the process of strengthfening the integration of the Canary Islands into common poli- cies, or extend beyond this process, given the permanent constraints which are a particular feature of the Canary Islands ; Whereas this programme must be based on the twofold principle that the Canary Islands form an integral part of the Community and that the regional reality deriving from their particular geographical situation and their historical economic and fiscal system must be recog- nized ; - Whereas, for this reason, the special measures laid down . by the programme of operations must be part of the process of including the Canary Islands in the customs territory of the Community and extending to these Islands other provisions of Community law as stipulated