# EUR-Lex - 52012JC0018 - EN

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# 52012JC0018

**JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE COUNCIL JOINT EU-CARIBBEAN PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY /* JOIN/2012/018 final */**

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JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE COUNCIL

JOINT EU-CARIBBEAN PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY

INTRODUCTION

At the May 2010 EU-CARIFORUM[1] Summit in Madrid, Heads of
States and Governments agreed to work on a Joint EU-Caribbean Partnership
Strategy (JECS) and identified five core areas for closer cooperation: regional
integration, reconstruction of Haiti, climate change and natural disasters,
crime and security and joint action in multilateral fora. Based on the outline
agreed by Heads of State in Madrid, the present document has been elaborated by
a joint working group, including the European External Action Service (EEAS)
and Commission services, and representatives of EU Member States and CARIFORUM
countries.

The EU and the Caribbean share a long
history and a broad base of common values. Through its overseas regions,
countries and territories, the EU is also physically part of the Caribbean.
Both regions share a commitment to global peace, progress and prosperity as
well as to democracy and the rule of law. For the Caribbean, the EU has been
and remains a reliable development partner, whose support has been important in
the region's efforts towards sustainable development.

Relations are currently underpinned by the
Cotonou Agreement, the EU –CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement, and the
bi-regional political dialogue. These are complemented by other regional
cooperation frameworks in which the EU and the Caribbean participate, such as
the EU-Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Partnership.

This draft Joint Strategy aims to develop a
new dimension to the relationship, allowing the EU and the Caribbean nations to
deepen dialogue and structure their cooperation in order to address together
the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. The guiding
principles for the Joint Strategy are joint ownership, mutual accountability
and solidarity, co-management and co-responsibility. It reflects the shared
commitment of CARIFORUM and the EU to the principles enshrined in the UN
Charter and in international law, including in particular the respect for and
promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, rule of law and democratic
governance.

The purpose of this Joint Communication
is to seek the endorsement by the Council of the proposed "Joint
EU-Caribbean Partnership Strategy".

1. THEME
I: REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND COOPERATION IN THE WIDER CARIBBEAN

1.1.        OVERVIEW

There is potential to expand growth in the
Caribbean through trade, investment and tourism and by developing niche markets
and other economic opportunities. However, there are also persistent challenges
to overcome. Globalisation have left small, vulnerable developing states such
as those in the Caribbean challenged in trying to fully participate in a highly
competitive global economy.

Regional integration and cooperation is
considered the best means to facilitate human and social progress and
sustainable long-term development in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are the two
principal regional integration organisations. CARIFORUM[2] facilitates regional
cooperation as does the EU's association with its overseas countries and
territorities (OCTs). The EU, based on its own experience continues to be an
active partner in supporting regional integration and cooperation to accelerate
and streamline development goals in the Caribbean. The CARIFORUM-EU EPA builds
a trade partnership for increased competitiveness, economic growth and
development, supporting regional integration in the Caribbean and participation
in the world trading system.

1.2.        GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Caribbean and EU share a commitment to
promoting regional integration and cooperation which are particularly effective
in addressing the vulnerabilities associated with a group of countries of
predominantly small island states. Both sides have identified specific areas of
strategic cooperation in support of deepened regional integration and
cooperation, facilitating sustainable economic and human development. The areas
of cooperation include but are not limited to:

·
Strengthening regional integration and
cooperation processes in the Caribbean region including with neighbouring EU
overseas departments and territories, as well as neighbouring countries in
Central and South America;

·
Implementation of the Caribbean Single Market
and Economy and of the OECS Economic Union;

·
Effective implementation of the EU-CARIFORUM
EPA, with an emphasis on the opportunities it offers to the economic operators
in the Caribbean;

·
Fostering of a healthy economic and investment
climate in the Caribbean enhancing the integration of regional markets and
competitiveness at the international level;

·
The development of enterprise through private
sector investments particularly in the service sector including financial
services and tourism and the cultural industries, in agro-business and manufacturing.
Promote innovation, information, communication and technology and competition;

·
The development of infrastructure networks to
facilitate intra-regional and international trade;

·
Energy diversification, interconnection and
security;

·
The promotion of green economic growth with
specific support for efforts to preserve bio-diversity, taking account of the
importance of water resources, the tourism industry, and the agricultural and
the bio-research sectors;

·
Education, skills development through training
and cooperation in the area of science and technology;

·
Regional approach to Food security and health;

·
The promotion of poverty alleviation, social
cohesion, social dialogue, development of civil society, including social
partners, non-discrimination and gender equality, the promotion of decent work
and internationally recognized labour standards and enhancement of youth
involvement in national development.

1.3.        JOINT ACTION

The Partners will pursue a long term
programme of joint action focused on growth and sustainable development, and
addressing common challenges, with particular emphasis on regional integration
and cooperation.

Joint actions in this context could include
:

·
An intensified and inclusive EU-Caribbean
political and policy dialogue addressing issues of interest to both regions and
global challenges;

·
Actions contributing to coherence among the
various integration and cooperation arrangements involving the Caribbean,
including the ACP-European Union partnership, the EU-LAC cooperation mechanisms
and the EU/OCT association;

·
Actions contributing to deepening regional
integration and cooperation including the strengthening of institutional
capacities of regional organisations in the Caribbean and at the national level
to increase effective definition, implementation and sustained follow-up of
policies at the regional level;

·
Support to efforts of institutional
consolidation at regional and sub-regional levels.

·
Programmes contributing to effective
implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA, the CARICOM Single Market and Economy
(CSME) and the OECS Economic Union as well as strengthening links between CARIFORUM
and the EU’s OCTs and ORs particularly in areas of trade and energy;

·
Actions contributing to create a healthy
economic and investment climate and fostering productive capacities in the
Caribbean:

·
Development of industrial and export strategies;

·
Research & Development and training in the
areas of innovation, science and technology;

·
Reinforcing Competitiveness and promoting
innovation;

·
Regional business development, with particular
emphasis on development of regional SMEs;

·
Energy, with particular emphasis on renewable
energy;

·
Interconnectivity, including transport and
information and communication technology.

·
Contribute to the promotion of decent work and
internationally recognized labour standards to support human development, social
cohesion and economic growth;

·
Contribute to the development of a Caribbean
wide framework for an effective regional health strategy;

·
Work towards development of a strategy on food
security, quality and diversity, in the Caribbean, making use of new
technologies to improve productivity and competitiveness.

2. THEME II: RECONSTRUCTION AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TO
HAITI

2.1.        OVERVIEW

On 12 January 2010, the Republic of Haiti
suffered one of the most devastating earthquakes in modern times. An estimated
250 thousand people lost their lives and 1.5 million were left in need of
emergency shelter. The earthquake caused massive damage to social and economic
infrastructure. The earthquake exacerbated the country's existing problems:
poverty, insecurity, environmental degradation and vulnerability to disasters.
The 2009 UN Human Development Index ranked Haiti 145 out of 162 countries.

Haiti has been prioritised within this
Joint Caribbean-EU Partnership Strategy because of the magnitude of its needs.
Lessons learnt, particularly in disaster risk reduction and reducing
vulnerability, will also be relevant across the entire Caribbean region.

2.2.        GOALS
AND OBJECTIVES

Haiti is on the road to recovering from its
most urgent needs, thanks also to substantial EU and Caribbean humanitarian
aid. The country still faces, however daunting reconstruction, economic and
social challenges. Consolidating Haiti's democratic institutions, improving
governance, the reduction of poverty and social inequities and the
consolidation of the administration remain formidable challenges to which the
EU and the Caribbean could provide substantial and complementary support, in
full coordination with the Haitian government and with other international
donors. There is also scope for enhancing Haiti's integration into the
Caribbean regional context. The joint programming of the EDF will contribute to
advance Haiti's role in the intra-Caribbean cooperation and foster increased
participation in the regional integration process.

2.3.        JOINT
ACTION

CARIFORUM and EU joint actions in this
context could include :

·
Coordinating actions in support of the
reconstruction of Haiti, within existing donor coordination structures, and
develop the joint CARIFORUM-EU actions building on the joint EU programming for
Haiti;

·
Mobilising relevant cooperation instruments in
the framework of ACP-EC Partnership Agreement and the EU-LAC process;

·
Supporting the functioning and consolidation of
Haitian democracy through free, transparent and credible elections, respect for
and promotion of human rights and the rule of law, judicial reforms and the
strengthening of civil society as well as urgent measures to fight corruption;

·
Actions to ensure Haiti's full participation in
the CARIFORUM-EU EPA and Carribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), including
the development of institutional capacity in Haiti;

·
Actions in the area of disaster preparedness and
risk reduction strategies, including the development of mechanisms such as a
regional building code to improve the capacity of the region to mitigate the
effects of natural disasters;

·
Developing risk transfer mechanisms and
financing for risk reduction, such as the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance
Facility (CCRIF), the application of best practices to the Caribbean
Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and other Caribbean wide
institutions specialising in disaster management.

3. THEME III:
CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL DISASTERS

3.1.        OVERVIEW

Climate Change and its consequences are key
obstacles to development and the achievement of the Millennium Development
goals. Caribbean countries are mostly Small Island Developing States, have low-lying
coastal zones and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of rising sea
levels, threatening coastal communities, infrastructure and freshwater
supplies. The increase in temperature and acidity of sea water caused by
greenhouse gases causes serious damage to coral reefs, leading to the
degradation of the region's marine biodiversity.

The small size of most Caribbean nations
also make them more vulnerable to the impact of natural disasters. A single
hurricane can wipe out the economic base of an entire country, including
infrastructure and all main sources of economic activity and income, putting
additional strain on limited financial resources. The challenges are compounded
by difficulties of distance and geography, which hamper the broadening and
consolidation of their economic base.

3.2.        GOALS
AND OBJECTIVES

The EU and CARIFORUM Member States, as
signatories to the Kyoto Protocol, have worked together to advance climate
change negotiations, and developed policies to reduce the impact of climate change
and environmental degradation. They share an interest in achieving a
comprehensive, fair and legally-binding outcome under the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). The CARIFORUM member states and
the EU will continue their efforts to reach an ambitious international climate
agreement.

Natural hazards such as hurricanes and
earthquakes cannot be avoided, but steps can be taken to reduce risks and
mitigate impacts by addressing the root causes of vulnerability and increasing
capacity to cope with the consequences. Five priority areas have been
identified for cooperation:

·
adapting to the effects of climate change
without prejudice to achieving the Millennium Development Goals;

·
strengthening disaster prevention and risk
reduction as well as enhancing monitoring, situation awareness, assessment and
early warning systems for disaster management and response;

·
reducing deforestation through the sustainable
management of forests;

·
enhancing participation in the global carbon
market through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM);

·
integrating climate change into poverty
reduction efforts.

3.3.        JOINT
ACTION

CARIFORUM and EU joint actions in this
area, in line with the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) objectives and the
EU-LAC Madrid Action Plan could include:

·
Enhancing cooperation in international
negotiations, including through regular consultations and joint initiatives to
promote the successful conclusion of a post-2012 international climate
agreement under the UNFCCC;

·
Supporting a comprehensive approach to address
climate change by prioritizing adaptation and mitigation measures, in
particular by adapting the principles of green growth and by providing access
to renewable energy;

·
Strengthening regional disaster and emergency
response capacity, with particular emphasis on adaptation, disaster risk
reduction and interoperability, as well as monitoring, situation awareness and
early warning systems. In this context, also work on the linkage between short
and long term actions;

·
Mainstreaming climate change policies into
national and regional development policies and strategies as well as into
cooperation/partnership agreements;

·
Ensuring that the vulnerability of SIDS and
low-lying costal countries remains high on the global development agenda,
including in the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement and the EU-LAC process;

·
Encourage a greater role for training,
research&development and technology transfer and eco-innovation;

·
Recognize the Caribbean Sea as a special area in
the context of sustainable development and work to support frameworks aimed at
protecting its fragile ecosystems and unique bio-diversity.

4. THEME IV:
CRIME AND SECURITY

4.1.        OVERVIEW

Transnational criminal activities, in
particular trafficking of illicit drugs and related crimes, represent a growing
concern for the EU and the Caribbean. The Caribbean is a major transit region
for illicit drugs from South and Central America; the collateral damage of the
drug trade is huge and takes an important toll on the societies: it fuels corruption,
undermines the rule of law and leads to more organised crime. The increase in
local drug trafficking and abuse weakens the social tissues and generates gang
violence. The laundering of large amounts of illicit money distorts the economy
and undermines efforts of sustainable development. This situation has a
detrimental effect on long term prospects of growth, stability and development.

Areas of specific
concern to the Caribbean and the EU include:

·
Trafficking of drugs and related crimes including
gang violence and money laundering;

·
Illegal traffic and trade in small arms and
light weapons;

·
Impact of criminal activities on human security
of Caribbean societies;

·
The social and security problems created by the
return of criminals back to the Caribbean from overseas;

·
Trafficking in persons and kidnapping;

·
Insufficient capacity for maritime and airspace
border control;

·
Non-compliance with international standards in
the financial sector.

4.2.        GOALS
AND OBJECTIVES

Working together to fight criminal networks
is a priority of the Joint Strategy. Strengthening cooperation and capacity
building in areas such as policing, judicial processes, and intelligence
sharing are key aspects in this regard. Equally, the root causes behind
criminal activity and the social impact need to be addressed.

EU-Caribbean cooperation in the fight
against drugs is conducted in the onctext of the EU-LAC Coordination and
Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs. The "Panama Action Plan" and the
priorities identfied in Port of Spain in 2007 sets out a range of priorities
for common action in this regard. Caribbean-EU cooperation in the fight against
crime should also include cooperation with the relevant UN organizations,
Interpol, OAS and Europol and include exchange of information and best practices.

4.3.        JOINT
ACTION

CARIFORUM-EU security cooperation is based
on the principles of shared responsibility between producing, transit and drug
consumer countries. It aims to develop integrated and balanced approaches.

CARIFORUM and EU joint actions in this
context could include :

·
Supporting the establishment of a region-wide
strategy for addressing crime, insecurity, drug trafficking, financial crime
etc;

·
Renewing efforts to implement the "Port of
Spain priorities" in the areas of control of the most vulnerable ports;
intelligence sharing in precursor control; programmes to adress root causes of
crime and delinquency and demand reduction; as well as the promotion of
compliance with the OECD Financial Action Task Force Recommendations and the
increased cooperation among regional and international bodies, including the
UNODC;

·
Capacity building in border control management,
including exchanges of experts and technical assistance;

·
Fully implementing the UN Programme of Action to
prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons
with maritime cooperation as a priority area, including information sharing and
further developing operational cooperation between interested actors in the
Caribbean and EU Member States;

·
Supporting capacity building of justice
administrations and judicial reform in fighting transnational crime.

5. THEME V: JOINT ACTION IN BI-REGIONAL AND
MULTILATERAL fora and on global issues

5.1.        OVERVIEW

The Caribbean and the EU face a number of
common challenges and concerns and are committed to act in a coordinated manner
to find joint responses at the international level. Political dialogue and
consultations are already taking place at different levels to tackle global
issues in bi-regional and multilateral fora, as illustrated at the recent COP
17 meeting in Durban.

Together, the CARIFORUM and the EU
represent 42 countries. Through more frequent consultations, better alignment
of positions and strengthened coordination, the two regions could have a more
decisive impact on topics of mutual importance, such as: promotion of human
rights, democratic values and governance; reform of the United Nations and the
international financial system and institutions; coordinated response to the
global financial and economic crisis; attainment of the Millennium Development
Goals; and the conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda.

5.2.        GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The partners will strengthen dialogue on
global issues to identify areas of cooperation, coordinate positions and
jointly undertake specific initiatives and actions. Both partners wish to
promote and sustain a system of effective multilateralism, with strong,
representative and legitimate institutions. A higher degree of coordination of
policies and exchange of information will allow for greater common impact in
consultations and in sensitizing third parties on issues of mutual concern.

The EU and CARIFORUM countries will aim to
coordinate in multilateral institutions of which they are both members (UN,
International Financial Institutions, WTO, etc.) and they will endeavour to
take into account the interests and concerns of the other party in
international groupings or organizations to which either partner belongs (G8,
G20, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), etc.).

5.3.        JOINT ACTIONS

Through policy and political dialogue, the
two regions will consult on topics of broader interest and identify possible
common positions as well as joint efforts towards the implementation of shared
priorities.

Joint actions in this context could include
:

·
Working together on the promotion of human
rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance, including
free and fair electoral processes, combating corruption, money laundering,
financing of terrorism, organized crime and tax evasion;

·
Working together on promoting reform of the UN
System, with the aim of enhancing its representativeness, transparency,
accountability, efficiency and effectiveness, including the comprehensive
reform of the Security Council;

·
Development, whenever possible, of joint
regional positions within the UN system and the international financial
institutions and strive to support each other’s initiatives;

·
Contributing to the modernization the IMF and
World Bank to, inter alia, better reflect the changing world economy through
greater representation of dynamic emerging markets and developing countries;

·
Addressing the challenges of structural reforms
that strengthen regulation and oversight, boost and sustain global demand and
foster job creation in the bi-regional context through the Cotonou Agreement
and the EPA as well as in the World Bank, IMF, the G8 and the G20;

·
Developing instruments to strengthen financial
safety nets, helping vulnerable countries to better resist sudden external
shocks;

·
In keeping with their commitment to a
rules-based, multilateral trading system, regarding trade as a key engine for
growth and development the partners will pursue regular consultations and an
active negotiating agenda at the multilateral level to engage in across-the-board
negotiations to bring the Doha Development Round, to a successful, ambitious,
comprehensive and balanced conclusion, building on the progress achieved so
far;

·
Continue to support efforts to make developing
countries, and in particular the small and vulnerable economies, more
competitive on a global scale.

6.
IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES AND MONITORING MECHANISMS

6.1.        IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES

This partnership will involve, and be
implemented by, a large number of institutional and non-institutional actors in
the EU and in the Caribbean region at regional, national and local levels. Its
effective implementation will be the shared responsibility of all CARIFORUM
countries and EU Member States and institutions.

The identified joint actions should be
complementary to and pursued through the existing agreements, structures and
instruments for cooperation between the Caribbean and the EU to promote
synergies and avoid duplication.

Civil society, non-state actors and
parliaments have an important role in the implementation of the Joint Stategy
and will be involved through an inclusive dialogue.

The implementation of the Joint
EU-Caribbean Partnership Strategy will be financially supported as appropriate
by existing instruments, such as the European Development Fund (EDF), the
Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF), the Caribbean Development Fund, the EU Thematic Programmes, and
the Instrument for Stability, the future Partnership Instrument, the Caribbean
Investment Facility or their successors, as well as by financial institutions,
such as the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Caribbean Development Bank.
Where relevant and possible, these instruments will be complemented by further
contributions by CARIFORUM countries and EU Member States.

6.2.        MONITORING
MECHANISMS

The regular meetings of leaders from both
regions (including all relevant representatives of EU and CARIFORUM
institutions) will continue to provide political guidance to the partnership.
These meetings will review progress, provide new orientations to the strategy
and give instructions on the way forward taking into consideration new global
challenges and regional imperatives.

In addition to the political dialogue, a
Joint CARIFORUM-EU Working Group based in Brussels will periodically monitor
and evaluate progress, and make appropriate recommendations. This working group
will consist of officials from the European External Action Service, the
European Commission, CARIFORUM and EU Member States, . Experts from the OCTs
and Outermost Regions can be associated, where necessary. The working group
will provide a progress report to leaders on a regular basis.

[1]               The group of CARIFORUM countries includes: Antigua
and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

[2]               CARIFORUM memebership includes all the CARICOM Member
States, (except Montserrat), and non- CARICOM members the Dominican Republic
and Cuba.