Mallorca freight and energy costs: Balearics seek EU help
Mallorca firms face extra costs to ship goods and secure energy: the Balearic government wants the European Commission to help cover the gap. On 5 November 2026, it said president Marga Prohens had written to Commission executive vice-president Teresa Ribera to press for freight support and greater energy security. The letter follows their 14 October meeting in Brussels, where Prohens challenged a €300,000 limit on certain business aid over three years.
The aid limit
That limit comes from the EU’s de minimis rule. Prohens wants it relaxed and, in light of international instability and higher fuel prices, temporarily suspended. The government says the cap makes it harder to offset the extra costs of operating from the islands.
It says farming and fishing are especially affected. Both face lower aid limits, while fuel, supplies and selling their products cost more.
Why freight and energy matter
An analysis commissioned by the Balearic government points to higher costs for shipping goods by sea and air. It also says island firms need to keep larger reserves of raw materials and other supplies.
EU rules already allow help with passenger travel for residents of remote regions. The government wants the Commission to consider similar support for the lasting extra cost of moving goods.
On energy, the analysis points to reliance on supplies from outside the islands and limited links to other networks. The government wants the Commission to take those disadvantages into account as it reviews its aid rules. No new support has been agreed.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com