Editor responsible | Vaia TUUHIA Issue # 6

Editor | Pablo LOPEZ-HERRERIAS April 2010

Subscription | on@octassoaciation.org English version

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OCTA | newsletter

The voice of the OCTs

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EDITORIAL

ExCo OCTA President

Le 8e Forum réunissant l’Union Européenne, les

PTOM et les états membres annuellement, s’est

tenu les 25 et 26 mars, avec la participation du

Commissaire au développement Piebalgs, des Etats

membres avec notamment la ministre chargée de

l’Outre Mer Marie Luce Penchard, les

gouvernements de 16 PTOM, la représentation de

la présidence de l’UE, le député européen Mr

Ponga, des directions et services de la Commission

et des experts mobilisés.

Les PTOM sont à un tournant de leur association

avec l’UE, celui de la réflexion engagée sur leur

futur partenariat, celui d’une dynamique lancée

pour la redéfinition d’une politique rénovée pour

nos pays et territoires après 2013.

Le forum a tenu ses promesses, nous avons pu

mesurer le chemin parcouru et celui qui nous reste

à faire dans les prochains mois, avant de pouvoir

parler de propositions concrètes. Les PTOM

possèdent des ressources et des atouts

potentialités qui doivent être valorisées par l’Union

européenne et au sein de la famille européenne, à

laquelle ils appartiennent.

Lors de la conférence Ministérielle de l’OCTA qui a

précédé le Forum, les PTOM ont adopté un plan

stratégique et défini les priorités qui leur

permettront d’avancer communément dans leur

dialogue avec l’UE. Nous aurons de nombreux

rendez-vous et occasions d’échanger durant cette

année afin d’approfondir les travaux qui viendront

soutenir la future stratégie.

Vaia TUUHIA

French Polynesia

President of the OCTA Executive Committee

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

The Ministerial Conference took place on March 24.

It has been a success in terms of participation as

all OCTs were represented with the exception of

Pitcairn1. it is to be mentioned the high level

participation as, among others, the Presidents,

Chief Ministers or Higher Representative of

Anguilla, Aruba, Greenland, New Caledonia, French

Polynesia, Saint Helena or TAAF participated at the

Ministerial.

The Ministerial Conference has also been a success

in terms of active and fruitful dialogue between

1 Pitcairn could not attend this year.

members and the Association has achieved to

establish its new Strategy 2010 onwards based on

its vision and mission.

OUR VISION

For all Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs)

of the European Union (EU) to be on a path of

sustainable development, whilst protecting our

natural environment, by promoting economic and

human development through cooperation with the

EU as well as with regional and global partners.

OUR MISSION

Working collectively through the promotion of

common positions and partnerships for the

sustainable development of OCTs by cooperation,

capacity building and communication.

OCTA’s Strategic Plan is based on three pillars of co

operation, capacity building and communication –

the three Cs. These are illustrated and described

below.

THREE PILLARS

I COOPERATION

Reinforcing the objectives of cooperation for mid

and long term projects and fruitful exchanges to

support the sustainable development of the OCTs,

mainly with:

- Sustainable economic development;

- Environment resilience, valorization of

biodiversity, sustainable energy and adaptation to

climate change;

- Regional co-operation and integration.

II CAPACITY BUILDING

- Enhancing the capacity of the OCTs by

channelling means and expertise through access to

technical assistance, information technology

projects, training programme and support to

research and innovation.

- Supporting the expertise of the OCTs, the

human and social development including education,

cultural and social co-operation by promoting the

OCTs in the EU programmes or encouraging EU

institutions to include OCTs in European initiatives.

III COMMUNICATION

- Developing external relations and

communication to raise awareness of the OCTs and

promote a pan OCT brand; providing a framework

for engaging the private sector and civil society.

The Ministerial Conference was also the field of

discussion of the state of play of the regional

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programming and more specifically regarding the

Technical Assistance which will provide further

support to OCTA since the end of the year 2010.

The new website www.octassociation.org was also

introduced.

Finally, the Ministerial gathered the final discussion

and signature of the Political Declaration and the

Administrative Resolutions.

Aruba’s Delegation: Edwin Abath, New Caledonia’s

Delegation: Philippe Gomes, French Polynesia’s

Delegation: Gaston Ton Sang

Source: Terence Ienfa

Cayman Islands’ Delegation: Christina Rowlandson,

Jamaal Anderson & Dax Basdeo

Source: Sukey Cameron

Turks and Caicos Islands’ Delegation: Tracy Knigth &

Delton Jones

Source: Sukey Cameron

Falklands Islands’ Delegation: Roger Edwards

Source: Sukey Cameron

FORUM

The Forum this year took place from March 25 to

26. The high level of participation was also to be

mentioned. Forum participation ranged from the

European Commissioner for Development Mr Andris

Piebalgs to Mrs Marie-Luce Penchard, Minister in

charge of overseas countries and territories

(France) or Mr Maurice Ponga, Member of the EU

Parliament.

The Member States also ensure its participation

and they actively participated together with the

Spanish Presidency of the EU.

The main messages of the Member States were

mainly related to the difficult year faced by the

OCTs due to global economic crisis, the new

challenges and the future relations between the EU

and the OCTs. Some of the main messages can be

read here below.

Denmark

« We are – and with that I mean Denmark – also of

the opinion that the relationship between the OCT’s

and the European Union really needs some changes

as the time has come to vitalise this relationship.

The OCT-arrangement ought – at the same time –

to be a stable relationship – a safe haven – but

also to be an adaptable device. It must be possible

to take account of and further develop the varied

interests of the OCT’s and their mother countries –

in a more flexible manner than hitherto. I’m glad to

note that the Commission and the Commissioner

seem to be of the same opinion. ... Our hopes are

that the Union works towards a de facto similar

treatment of the OCT’s in the revision of the

Current Overseas Association Decision. Nothing in

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the present treaty provisions regulating the

association of the OCT’s with the Union prohibits

equal treatment, or something near that, between

the OCT’s and the outermost regions ».

France

« Ce Forum marque aussi un tournant, celui de la

réflexion engagée sur l’avenir de l’outre-mer

européen, celui d’une dynamique lancée pour la

redéfinition d’une politique rénovée pour nos

territoires, celui d’un véritable défi à l’approche

d’une nouvelle « ère européenne : celle de l’après

2013 ».

Mme Marie Luce Penchard

Source: French Polynesia Government

The Netherlands

« … the Netherlands Antilles will cease to exist on

the mythical date of 10-10-10: 10 October 2010, if

all goes according to plan. Curaçao and Sint

Maarten will become separate countries within the

Kingdom, comparable to the current status of

Aruba. Bonaire, Statia and Saba – the smaller

islands - will have closer ties with the European

part of the Kingdom and will become special

municipalities of the Netherlands.

The aim of this unique process, that is the

consequence of referenda on each of the islands, is

not the institutional change as such. The main

purpose is the improvement of the well-being of

the population of the islands. They must profit from

the new situation.

A key element of the Communication is the

reduction of the OCT’s vulnerability.

The Netherlands endorses this shift from a classical

development cooperation approach to an approach

that focuses on the increase of the OCTs’

resilience.

However, the move away from development

cooperation should not coincide with a decrease of

the financial support to the OCT.

It is important that the level of financial support

will remain at an equal level under the revised OCT

Decision ».

United Kingdom

« I want to comment briefly on adherence to the

Community Acquis and centres of excellence.

These are worthy goals. We agree that OCTs

should aim to bring their local legislation, where

relevant, in line with EU law. However, under the

terms of their Constitutions we, and therefore

Europe, should avoid unnecessary intervention in

areas of responsibility which have been devolved to

their democratically elected governments. Any

proposed changes to legislation have to be

relevant, and must take into account the capacity

limitations of the Territories. OCTs cannot be tied

into legislation that they do not have the resources

to implement effectively. Where they cannot meet

these requirements, or do not have the expertise

to become a centre of excellence there should be

no discrimination against them. We cannot have a

first and second tier of OCT ».

FORUM KEY MESSAGES

Besides the trade and regional integration aspects

dealt with at the Workshop and the new OCTA

Strategy linked with the new EU-OCT relations,

some other key messages have been shared by

almost all OCTA members.

Coopération en matière environnementale

(recherche sur le changement climatique et

biodiversité)

La recherche dans les PTOM, qui bénéficient parfois

d’un isolement exceptionnel, d’écosystèmes

préservés et de conditions météorologiques

extrêmes, ont permit d’étudier des phénomènes

majeurs comme le changement climatique. Ceci

doit être renforcé et préserver.

Développement de l’accessibilité (transport,

connection, ICT)

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L’isolement des îles composant les membres de

l’OCTA est l’un des facteurs de la richesse de la

biodiversité endémique et de ces conditions

exceptionnelles. En contrepartie, cet isolement

engendre de fortes contraintes d’accès pour

l’ensemble des PTOM, qu’ils soient au niveau

régional ou global.

Les conditions d’accès et l’organisation de la

logistique sont complexes et onéreuses. Les îles

parfois ne sont desservies ni par des lignes

régulières ni par aucun réseau commercial de

communications ou de télécommunications. Ces

domaines, l’accès et les télécommunications, sont

donc prioritaires pour nous tous.

Reste encore à continuer de développer des

moyens de communications comme la liaison

satellite pour permettre les échanges en

permanence.

WORKSHOP ON TRADE AND REGIONAL

INTEGRATION

On March 23 took place a Workshop on Trade and

Regional Integration. The workshop was the result

of two studies undertaken in 2009 on Regional

Integration for all the OCTs linked to a region

(Caribbean, Indian Ocean or Pacific regions) and

the Atlantic Trade Study for the isolated OCTs

(Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Falkland

Islands and Saint Helena and its Dependencies).

The main discussions of the workshop besides the

presentation of the results and recommendations

of the two studies above mentioned were on

European free trade negotiations, the Doha

Development Agenda, EPA's and the FTA's.

Other important issues discussed were the specific

trade issues derived from the REI and the AT Study

such as the preference erosion: What is the impact

on OCTs, the liberalisation of trade in services, the

rules of Origin and the SPS issues.

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OCTA wishes to particularly thank to Aruba for

their excellent Chairmanship during this Forum and

to the European Commission for its support. Also to

all OCTs for their contributions to this Issue.

See you next year in NEW

CALEDONIA!

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Source: Forum Organisation