MIGRATION rules are coming under renewed scrutiny amid allegations that Spain’s system for protecting child migrants is being exploited.
A European Parliament mission has found that nearly half of migrants registered as unaccompanied minors in the Canary Islands were later declared adults after medical age assessments.
The findings relate to arrivals across the archipelago, including Tenerife, where large numbers of young males have entered the child protection system after landing by boat.
In September 2025, members of the European Parliament were told that around 1,500 individuals initially classified as minors had undergone formal age determination tests.
In cases where authorities doubted documentation or physical appearance, medical checks including wrist X-rays were carried out to estimate bone development and determine whether the person was under 18.
According to the preliminary 35-page mission report, ‘practically half’ of those tested were ultimately found to be adults.
The document is the result of an on-the-ground investigation by a delegation from the European Parliament examining the migration crisis on the Atlantic route.
It is currently being debated in the parliament’s Committee on Petitions as amendments are introduced ahead of final approval.
The report warns that suspected age fraud is placing severe strain on Spain’s child protection infrastructure.
The Canary Islands are currently caring for around 5,800 unaccompanied foreign minors, with reception centres operating well above their intended capacity.
Many of the young arrivals on this route come from Mali, Senegal and Morocco, with Mauritania serving as a key departure point for boats heading towards the Canary Islands.
According to EU asylum data for 2024, 62 per cent of all asylum applications lodged in the EU by Malian nationals were submitted in Spain, while applications from Mali and Senegal more than doubled compared to the previous year.
The mission report also highlights diplomatic tensions, noting that Morocco accepts only 8 per cent of repatriation requests made by Spain for its nationals arriving irregularly.
Under international and European law, including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, authorities must treat anyone believed to be under 18 as a minor until proven otherwise.
The EU’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum requires individual age assessments and reinforces the obligation to prioritise the best interests of the child.
READ MORE: Revealed: More than 3,000 migrants died trying to reach Spain on small boats in 2025
In response to mounting pressure, Spain approved Royal Decree-Law 2/2025 earlier this year.
The regulation introduces a compulsory redistribution mechanism allowing the central government to transfer unaccompanied minors from overstretched regions such as the Canary Islands to other autonomous communities.
The measure is designed to ensure that no single region’s child protection system exceeds three times its ordinary capacity.
The European Parliament delegation stressed that while child protection remains a legal obligation, more robust and consistent age verification procedures are essential to prevent abuse of the system.
The report is expected to shape further coordination between Madrid and Brussels as Spain aligns its national response with the EU’s updated migration framework.
Click here to read more Spain News from The Olive Press.
