[pic] | KOMMISSIONEN FOR DE EUROPÆISKE FÆLLESSKABER |

Bruxelles, den 2.3.2006

KOM(2006) 86 endelig

MEDDELELSE FRA KOMMISSIONEN TIL RÅDET, EUROPA-PARLAMENTET OG DET EUROPÆISKE ØKONOMISKE OG SOCIALE UDVALG

PARTNERSKAB MELLEM EU OG VESTINDIEN FOR VÆKST, STABILITET OG UDVIKLING {SEK(2006) 268}

DEL I

INDLEDNING

Europa har nære historiske bånd til Vestindien, idet flere EU-medlemsstater stadig har en tæt tilknytning til dette område, bl.a. takket være de franske oversøiske departementer[1] og de særlige forbindelser mellem UK og Nederlandene og disse landes oversøiske lande og territorier. Den førende rolle, som Vestindien spiller inden for AVS-landene og regionens deltagelse i Cotonou-aftalen, danner grundlaget for de særlige forbindelser til EU. Partnerskabet mellem EU og Vestindien må også ses i lyset af et bredere strategisk partnerskab, nemlig det partnerskab mellem EU og landene i Latinamerika, som blev indgået mellem EU, Vestindien og de latinamerikanske stater på deres første fælles topmøde i Rio i 1999.

Denne meddelelse om Vestindien[2] omfatter de vestindiske AVS-lande[3] og tager udgangspunkt i principperne bag EU's udviklingspolitik, EU's konsensus af 2005[4] og Cotonou-aftalen og bygger på erfaringerne fra mere end 30 års samarbejde[5]. I meddelelsen - hvori lighed, partnerskab og medbestemmelse lægges til grund - skitseres den fremtidige politik for forholdet mellem EU og Vestindien. Målet er at få skabt et stærkt partnerskab, der kan gavne begge parter på den internationale arena, og inden for hvilket de kan arbejde sammen om virkeliggørelse af deres fælles idealer vedrørende demokrati og menneskerettigheder, bekæmpelse af fattigdom, og imødegåelse af trusler mod fred, sikkerhed og stabilitet på verdensplan. EU ønsker også at bidrage til at realisere Vestindiens udviklingsmål og løse de mange specifikke udfordringer, regionen står over for. Den politik, som EU agter at sætte i værk for at understøtte Vestindiens egen reform- og udviklingsdagsorden, omfatter følgende tre elementer:

- etablering af et politisk partnerskab baseret på fælles værdier

- udnyttelse af muligheder og afhjælpning af svagheder på det økonomiske og miljømæssige område

- fremme af socialt sammenhold og bekæmpelse af fattigdom.

PARTNERE I EN FÆLLES FREMTIDSVISION

Udgangspunktet for EU's strategi for Vestindien er en fælles fremtidsvision på basis af parternes fælles værdier, idet man sideløbende hermed tilstræber en fuld udnyttelse af de muligheder, Cotonou-aftalen stiller i udsigt. EU's overordnede målsætning er at hjælpe alle vestindiske lande til på selvstændig vis at realisere deres langsigtede udviklingsmål i et klima af sikkerhed og stabilitet, samt at støtte de vestindiske lande, der stræber efter at indgå i gruppen af udviklede stater inden 2020, hvor den nuværende Cotonou-aftale udløber. Sideløbende hermed mener Kommissionen, at et partnerskab mellem EU og Vestindien kan bidrage til at løse økonomiske og politiske strategispørgsmål af fælles interesse på internationalt plan (bl.a. fred, bekæmpelse af narkotikahandel og multilateralisme).

Kommissionen ønsker med denne meddelelse om Vestindien at belyse, hvordan de udfordringer, Vestindien står over for, kan omdannes til positive muligheder med den rigtige kombination af politiske tiltag. Mere specifikt er det tanken at indlede en struktureret politisk dialog med Vestindien, at iværksætte de mellem partnerne aftalte strategipolitiske målsætninger og at underbygge disse gennem EU's eksisterende udviklingssamarbejde og -ordninger, således at man mere effektivt kan understøtte Vestindiens egne bestræbelser på at opnå en yderligere udvikling af regionens potentiale og hindre, at den udvikler sig til et arnested for uro. Dette sker bedst ved, at EU tilskynder til varig samfundsøkonomisk vækst i Vestindien. EU kan samtidig bidrage til at afværge risikoen for, at Vestindien udvikler sig til en sammenbrudstruet region. Lederskab og lokal ansvarsbevidsthed er af allerstørste vigtighed i Vestindien.

UDFORDRINGER I VESTINDIEN

De geopolitiske udfordringer

En af de vigtigste udfordringer, som Vestindien står over for, er spørgsmålet om, hvordan regionen kan opnå den rigtige balance i forholdet til partnerne i samme verdensdel, bl.a. USA, Brasilien og Venezuela. De fleste lande i Vestindien stræber efter at bevare en god balance i deres forhold til de større lande i og omkring regionen. De modsætninger, der optræder i denne verdensdel, gør det imidlertid vanskeligt at holde en balance, der tilgodeser de små østaters interessere, uden at udelukke regionen fra den vigtigste økonomiske udvikling.

EU understøtter Vestindiens ønske om at sikre området en bedre regional enhed, med Caricom som integrationsforum og Cariforum som samarbejdsforum[6] [7]. En anden målsætning er ønsket om at skabe forbindelser mellem Vestindien og den omliggende region, herunder også Mellem- og Latinamerika. Mellem- og Latinamerika indebærer store muligheder for Vestindien, men konkurrerer samtidig med hinanden med hensyn til visse råvarer. Visse lande i disse regioner kæmper med grænsedragningskonflikter.

EU har territorier i Vestindien i kraft af Frankrigs oversøiske departementer. Samarbejdet mellem de vestindiske lande i AVS-gruppen og de oversøiske departementer og de oversøiske lande og territorier bør styrkes som led i en bredere integrationsproces.

EU vil sætte fokus på det strategiske partnerskab mellem EU og Latinamerika/Vestindien for at tilskynde til en udadskuende integrationsproces. Det gælder generelt, at et regionalt net af landegrupper kan resultere i et bedre samspil og positive samspilsvirkninger, hvilket igen kan bidrage til en glat integrering af regionen i verdensøkonomien.

Udfordringer for samfundsøkonomien og miljøet

Vestindien består hovedsageligt af små østater, som har små og åbne, men sårbare økonomier, der ofte er baseret på et lille antal råvarer; regionen er som bekendt meget udsat for naturkatastrofer. Den omstændighed, at Vestindien for det meste består af øer, har svære negative følger for energi-, transport-, kommunikations- og samhandelsomkostningerne, og dette er måske den vigtigste hindring for en integration af regionen.

Som helhed har Vestindien opnået et godt udviklingsniveau, men der er store forskelle i udviklingsgraden inden for regionen, som omfatter såvel mellem- og lavindkomstlande som det fattigste land i denne verdensdel, Haiti. I 2005 skønnedes BNP pr. indbygger at ligge på 3 640 USD i gennemsnit, men regionens gennemsnitvækst har været faldende hvert årti siden 1970'erne[8]. Alle lande i regionen er sårbare over for økonomiske påvirkninger og naturkatastrofer, omend i forskellig grad, og de kæmper med de samme samfundsøkonomiske og miljømæssige problemer, bl.a. store samfundsmæssige skævheder og i visse tilfælde alvorlig fattigdom, ikke mindst på Haiti, Guyana og i visse OECS-lande, arbejdsløshed især blandt unge og tvangsforflyttede landarbejdere, migration og hjerneflugt, en forholdsvis høj HIV/AIDS-procent, en langsom diversificering væk fra traditionelle sektorer, samt problemer med produktivitet og konkurrenceevne, stor gæld og behov for økonomisk reform og omstrukturering af den offentlige sektor. Blandt miljøproblemerne kan nævnes naturkatastrofer, klimaændringer og forvaltningen af naturressourcer. Der er ikke blot økonomiske og sociale problemer, men sikkerhed og stabilitet trues også af politiske og i nogle tilfælde etniske spændinger, kriminalitet, narkotika og de hermed forbundne lovovertrædelser, samt væbnet vold.

Vestindien står nu ved en skillevej. Radikale lederskabstiltag er fornødne, hvis regionen skal tage disse udfordringer op. Uanset hvad de økonomiske indikatorer måske synes at vise ved første øjekast, og den omstændighed, at visse stater forventer at opnå status som udviklede lande inden 2020, er der grund til at frygte, at visse vestindiske stater fra at være mellemindkomstlande vil dumpe ned i kategorien af lavindkomstlande, hvis ikke der tages skridt til at vende de økonomiske tendenser og opstille en sikkerheds- og stabilitetsstrategi, som fuldt ud tager hensyn til realiteterne på verdensplan, og som kan løse problemerne og udnytte mulighederne i tiden fremover.

Del II - Fra udfordringer til nye muligheder

Hvor EU for ti år siden blev betragtet som svaret på Vestindiens problemer, er opfattelsen i dag den, at der hersker et spændt forhold mellem EU og Vestindien, bl.a. som følge af den uundgåelige omlægning af præferencesamhandelen og forskellige vanskeligheder i udviklingssamarbejdet, bl.a. med hensyn til formidling og udnyttelse af EU's bistand. Det er en fælles opgave for EU og medlemsstaterne at ændre denne opfattelse. EU's overordnede mål er at hjælpe Vestindien til at tage skridt til en positiv respons på regionens udfordringer. I disse bestræbelser bygger EU's strategi på tre elementer: etablering af et partnerskab baseret på fælles værdier; afhjælpning af økonomiske og miljømæssige svagheder; og fremme af socialt sammenhold og bekæmpelse af fattigdom. Gennem en kollektiv indsats omkring disse målsætninger kan EU bistå Vestindien i disse landes bestræbelser på at omdanne sig til en mulighedernes region.

ETABLERING AF ET POLITISK PARTNERSKAB BASERET PÅ FÆLLES VÆRDIER

Et stærkt politisk partnerskab baseret på fælles værdier mellem EU og Vestindien er det centrale element i bestræbelserne på at forbedre forholdet mellem EU og Vestindien og i en fælles respons på de politiske udfordringer, Vestindien står over for. I udviklingen af dette politiske partnerskab må der afsættes mere tid til dialog, både lokalt og i de regionale internationale fora. EU vil opprioritere sine forbindelser til Cariforum og inddrage en lang række anliggender, som er vigtige for begge parter, såsom styrkelse af demokratiet, menneskerettigheder, ligestilling, socialt sammenhold og anstændige arbejdsmuligheder, sikkerhed, stabilitet, konfliktforebyggelse, migration, narkotika og regional integration. Denne nye politiske dialog kommer også til at involvere civilsamfundsorganisationerne, så det sikres, at alle samfundsrøster kommer til orde.

De topmøder mellem EU og de latinamerikanske lande, som afholdes hvert andet år, er en god lejlighed til at tage det fremspirende partnerskab mellem Vestindien, den omliggende region og EU op inden for rammerne af en politisk dialog på højeste niveau mellem EU og Vestindien. På det forestående trojka-møde mellem EU og Vestindien i Wien i maj 2006 indledes der en ny politisk dialog som fastsat i EU's politiske dagsorden for Vestindien.

I EU's politiske dialog med Cariforum og de latinamerikanske lande bliver der god lejlighed til at tage fat på anliggender af fælles interesse og at fokusere på den bredere regionale integrationsproces, befæstelse af demokratiet, menneskerettighederne, socialt sammenhold og anstændige arbejdsmuligheder, sikkerhed, stabilitet, konfliktforebyggelse og narkotikahandel. Den politiske dialog kan også være til stor nytte i forbindelse med bestræbelserne på at bevare freden og gennemføre en fredelig omlægningspolitik på Haiti, samtidig med at man holder døren åben for politisk dialog med Cuba på områder, hvor der kan sikres bedre forbindelser og støtte inden for rammerne af den fælles holdning, der blev vedtaget i 1996, og som ligger til grund for EU's politik over for Cuba[9].

Sikkerhedsaspektet er blevet opprioriteret på verdensplan gennem de seneste år, efter at mange lande er blevet udsat for terrorangreb. Arbejdet på at garantere sikkerhed og retsstatsprincipper, retfærdighed og fuld overholdelse af menneskerettighederne nyder nu anerkendelse som et fundamentalt fælles indsatsområde for EU og den vestindiske region. Med det formål for øje vil EU og Vestindien arbejde sammen om at afværge sikkerhedstrusler og bekæmpe spredning af masseødelæggelsesvåben, håndvåben og lette våben, samt terrorisme.

EU bør i stadig større grad gøre brug af regionale og nationale udviklingsstrategier og -ordninger i arbejdet på at afhjælpe de til grund liggende årsager til usikre forhold, ustabilitet og konflikt, herunder fattigdom, forskelsbehandling og mangel på socialt sammenhold. Man bør tilskynde til udvikling og fremme af en konfliktforebyggelseskultur, ikke mindst i visse svage stater, som risikerer at dumpe fra mellemindkomstkategorien ned i lavindkomstgruppen. De vestindiske stater må selv tage et medansvar for denne opgave. Caricom og Cariforum opfordres derfor til at videreføre deres initiativer på den politiske front, bl.a. ved at føre tilsyn med valg og udsende personale til løsning af politiske spørgsmål; EU vil fremover støtte dette arbejde yderligere.

En god og effektiv forvaltningspraksis anerkendes i Vestindien som den vigtigste forudsætning for en bæredygtig udvikling. Dette vejledende EU-princip blev skitseret i 2003-meddelelsen om forvaltningspraksis og udvikling. Et kerneelement i en god og effektiv forvaltningspraksis er arbejdet på at skabe større tillid til institutioner såsom parlament, retsvæsen og forvaltningen af de offentlige finanser, ikke kun på nationalt, men også på regionalt niveau[10]. Systematisk støtte til sådanne nøgleinstitutioner bliver et centralt element i EU's indsats med henblik på en bedre forvaltningspraksis i Vestindien. Det erkendes imidlertid også, at forvaltningspraksis ikke kun drejer sig om at skabe institutioner, men også om at føre en formålstjenlig politik og skabe de fornødne retlige og lovgivningsmæssige rammer, både i den økonomiske, sociale og politiske sfære. EU vil derfor fortsætte med at tilskynde til større klarhed og en mere effektiv informationsudveksling mellem myndighederne i arbejdet på at bekæmpe korruption og erhvervsmæssig og finansiel uredelighed. EU vil også tilskynde til en god forvaltningspraksis på det finansielle, det skattemæssige og det retlige område.

EU bakker op om bestræbelserne på at fremskynde ratificeringen af De Forenede Nationers konvention om bekæmpelse af international organiseret kriminalitet og De Forenede Nationers konvention om bekæmpelse af korruption. EU vil endvidere tilskynde til vedtagelse og gennemførelse af internationale standarder inden for forebyggelse og bekæmpelse af hvidvask af penge, terrorisme, skattesvig og skatteunddragelse. EU vil også søge at afhjælpe de vestindiske landes begrænsede institutionsmæssige og faglige kapacitet til at bekæmpe organiseret kriminalitet og narkotika effektivt og fuldstændigt ved at tilrettelægge interne strategier og forbedre kapaciteten.

Foranstaltningerne omfatter: en udbygget politisk dialog mellem EU og Cariforum og mellem EU og de latinamerikanske lande vedrørende en lang række anliggender af fælles interesse foranstaltninger til fremme af en god og effektiv forvaltningspraksis større samarbejde i internationale fora. |

ØKONOMISKE OG MILJØMÆSSIGE MULIGHEDER OG SVAGHEDER

- I en stadig mere globaliseret verden med voksende gensidig afhængighed bliver et af de vigtigste mål i EU's udviklingspolitik at hjælpe udviklingslandene med at få det bedste ud af globaliseringsprocessen. Med henblik herpå bør man søge at udvikle bæredygtige økonomiske modeller for regionen ved at udnytte forbindelsen mellem EU's handelspolitik og EU's politiske dialog med Vestindien. EU bakker derfor kraftigt op om arbejdet på at afslutte tilrettelæggelsen og etableringen af et fælles marked og en fælles økonomi i Vestindien (CSME), med sigte både på regional integration og indgåelse af en økonomisk partnerskabsaftale med EU. EU vil bidrage til at styrke og forenkle regionens eksisterende institutioner og instanser for at sikre, at det fælles marked kommer til at fungere bedst muligt. Gennem den særlige udviklingsfond (SDF) og den regionale udviklingsfond kan der ydes yderligere hjælp til Vestindiens fælles marked og økonomi. Flere lande, bl.a. OECS-landene, kan forvente at få direkte gavn af sådanne solidaritetsfremmende ordninger.

Forudsætningen for et positivt udfald af forhandlingerne om en økonomisk partnerskabsaftale, der startede i april 2004, er en veldefineret og tillidsvækkende dagsorden og et velfungerende indre marked. Med en sådan aftale vil man fremme den vestindiske regions integration og tilvejebringe et regelbaseret grundlag, som vil forbedre konkurrenceevnen, diversificere eksporten og skabe regionale markeder og dermed bidrage til en bæredygtig økonomisk udvikling. Aftalen vil også gøre det lettere - ikke mindst hvad angår det sociale element - for landet at tilpasse sig til de samhandelspolitiske reformer og afklare det vanskelige spørgsmål om, hvordan man mindsker den i dag meget høje budgetmæssige afhængighed af importprovenuet. Denne integrationsproces har stor strategisk betydning for den vestindiske regions økonomiske fremtid. Udviklingsaspektet bør styrkes yderligere, således at man bedre kan hjælpe den vestindiske region til at realisere sine strategimål med hensyn til global konkurrenceevne.

EU vil øge sin samhandelsrelaterede bistand til Vestindien for at styrke regionens politik for intern og regional samhandel og dens forhandlingskapacitet og for at hjælpe landene i forhandlingerne om og gennemførelsen af aftalerne med Verdenshandelsorganisationen og de økonomiske partnerskaber samt i andre parallelle samhandelsforhandlinger. EU vil også tilskynde til indførelse af foranstaltninger til forenkling af told og samhandel samt brug af internationale standarder. Afskaffelse af de nuværende hindringer for samhandel og investering inden for regionerne og indførelse af mere stabile, klarere og mere forudsigelige regler samt pålidelige institutioner vil i væsentlig grad bidrage til vækst i den nationale og den regionale økonomi.

I denne forbindelse er forudsætningen for en vellykket økonomisk diversificering og strukturreform, at den vestindiske region og disse staters regeringer sørger for tilrettelæggelse og en effektiv gennemførelse af nationale langfristede strategier, og at den private sektor - og herunder også arbejdsmarkedets parter - involveres fuldt ud i udformningen af sådanne strategier. EU vil bistå ved tilrettelæggelsen af nationale strategier, hvis dette ønskes. Hvorvidt en strategi kan betragtes som vellykket afhænger af, om det reelt lykkes at gøre den private sektor til primus motor for de økonomiske fremskridt.

Der bør ydes støtte til den private sektor, herunder navnlig til de små og mellemstore virksomheder, som forventes at blive drivkraften bag en bæredygtig udvikling og en forbedring af beskæftigelsen. EU's vigtigste opgave bliver at bidrage til at skabe det rette miljø for udvikling af erhvervslivet og for forskning og udvikling samt informations- og kommunikationsteknologi i regionen.

De enkelte lande i regionen har generelt små og åbne økonomier, som er særligt sårbare over for kræfterne på verdensmarkedet og navnlig ændringer, der influerer på de finansielle markeders stabilitet. Det er grunden til, at der sideløbende med udviklingen af de finansielle tjenesteydelser i denne region må skabes en passende lovgivning, således at man kan imødegå erhvervsmæssig og finansiel uredelighed. EU vil i samarbejde med Vestindien, AVS-landene og de oversøiske lande og territorier støtte god forvaltningspraksis på det finansielle, skattemæssige og retlige område og navnlig fremme klarhed og en effektiv informationsudveksling vedrørende skatteforhold. Dette punkt vil blive taget op inden for rammerne af de økonomiske partnerskabsaftaler.

Den Europæiske Investeringsbank kan også spille en afgørende rolle i arbejdet på at sikre en vellykket økonomisk omlægning i regionen. Dette indebærer i praksis støtte til strukturreformer og en omlægning af økonomien væk fra de traditionelle sektorer og over til varer og tjenesteydelser med højere merværdi.

Forbindelserne inden for regionerne og mellem disse indbyrdes (regionale lufthavne og skibshavne samt informations- og kommunikationsteknologiske forbindelser) må styrkes. Dette forudsætter en nærmere koordination af hele regionens transportpolitik og -ydelser og en gennemgribende reform på udbudssiden (f.eks. luftfart). Sikkerhedsaspektet inden for luft- og søfart spiller også en stadig vigtigere rolle.

Det er planen at lægge særlig vægt på vedvarende energi. EU vil derfor søge at fremme samarbejdet i Vestindien og omliggende områder, idet man søger at opstille en optimal praksis for, hvordan man opnår den bedste diversificering af energikilder.

Al EU-støtte bør kanaliseres på samme måde uanset kilde og ordning og bør øremærkes i fuld overensstemmelse med de enkelte landes udviklingsstrategi. Hvad EU's udviklingsstøtte angår, gælder dette for udviklingssamarbejde og råvarespecifikke ordninger - bl.a. råvarer som sukker og bananer - der tager sigte på at fremme konkurrenceevnen, fremme økonomisk diversificering og tage højde for de sociale følger af større ændringer inden for disse traditionelle sektorer, alt afhængigt af de specifikke forhold i de enkelte lande.

Miljø og naturressourcer er vigtige aktiver for regionen, landene og navnlig den fattige del af lokalbefolkningen. Forbindelsen mellem miljøet og den samfundsøkonomiske udvikling afspejles i EU's støtte til regionen. Vestindien kæmper ikke blot med hyppige naturkatastrofer, men også med mange miljøproblemer såsom jordbundsforringelse, skovtab, knappe vandressourcer, svindende fiskebestande, tab af biodiversitet, affald og giftige kemikalier, samt nu også klimaændringer, altsammen aspekter, som influerer på regionens økonomiske og samfundsmæssige udvikling. EU vil fortsætte med at støtte foranstaltninger til afhjælpning af miljøproblemer og til kapacitetsopbygning på områder såsom afhjælpning af og tilpasning til klimaændringer og en bæredygtig forvaltning af naturressourcerne. EU vil her søge at udnytte erfaringerne med verdensomspændende miljøspørgsmål til gavn for partnerlandene i Vestindien. EU agter også på alle niveauer at bidrage til at forbedre regionens kapacitet til at imødegå naturkatastrofer, idet hovedvægten lægges på risikoformindskelse, beredskab, varsling, forebyggelse og afhjælpning. Navnlig reparations-, retablerings- og genopbygningsarbejdet må styrkes, hvilket kan ske ved hjælp af nye og hurtigere udbetalingsordninger, herunder forhåndsbevilget finansiering.

Foranstaltningerne omfatter: støtte til fuldførelse af arbejdet på at skabe ét fælles marked og én fælles økonomi i Vestindien støtte til regional integration via Caricom og udbygning af det regionale samarbejde via Cariforum, samt mellem Cariforum, de oversøiske departementer og de oversøiske lande og territorier videreførelse og afslutning af forhandlingerne om inden 2008 at indgå et økonomisk partnerskab mellem EU og Cariforum, herunder samhandelsrelateret bistand og støtte til god forvaltningspraksis på det finansielle, skattemæssige og retlige område støtte til strukturreform og til en bredt defineret økonomisk diversificering, bl.a. inden for kommunikationsforbindelser og energi, samt støtte til den private sektor og civilsamfundsorganisationerne støtte til imødegåelse af naturkatastrofer og andre specifikke miljøproblemer. |

FREMME AF SOCIALT SAMMENHOLD OG FATTIGDOMSBEKÆMPELSE

- En indsats med det formål at afhjælpe Vestindiens værste sårbarhed vil bidrage til at forbedre regionens økonomiske konkurrenceevne og sikre et bedre samfundsøkonomisk sammenhold. Der lægges særlig vægt på at imødegå samfundsmæssige skævheder og tilgodese miljøhensynet. Det er endvidere hensigten at gøre en samordnet indsat for at løse migrationsproblemet og mindske arbejdsløsheden. Alle disse tiltag må iværksættes samordnet som led i en overordnet strategi.

Vestindien har områder med ekstrem fattigdom og det til trods for, at de vestindiske lande generelt har opnået gode resultater i realiseringen af millenniummålsætningerne. EU vil understøtte Vestindiens bestræbelser på at komme den kroniske fattigdom til livs ved at støtte strategier, som tager sigte på at skaffe befolkningen et mere bæredygtigt levegrundlag. EU vil støtte nationale strategier, som tager sigte på 1) at støtte de sociale sikkerhedsnet og 2) at støtte de fattigste befolkningsgruppers indtægtsmuligheder både på land og i by. I forbindelse med virkeliggørelsen af dette mål vil EU fortsat give høj prioritet til det arbejde, der udføres af civilsamfundsorganisationerne i Vestindien.

Støtte til bekæmpelse af hiv/aids og andre store endemiske sundhedsproblemer i regionen er et vigtigt indsatsområde. Med dette formål for øje vil EU fortsætte med at bidrage til den globale fond for bekæmpelse af aids, tuberkulose og malaria; EU har allerede affattet en meddelelse om bekæmpelse af hiv/aids [11].

Hvad angår sundhedsspørgsmålet mere generelt vil EU yde støtte til regionalisering af samarbejdet mellem regionens sundhedsvæsener. En af EU's hovedopgaver bliver at styrke sundhedsvæsenet i hele regionen: der vil blive lagt særlig vægt på personaleressourcer og retfærdig adgang til og finansiering af sundhedsplejen, i stadig højere grad med udgangspunkt i sektoromspændende strategier og budgetstøtte til sektoren.

Med hensyn til narkotika fokuseres EU's arbejde omkring tilrettelæggelse og gennemførelse af regionale og nationale strategier med sigte både på forsynings- og efterspørgselsaspektet og hertil knyttede problemer såsom kriminalitet og væbnet vold, som er stigende i regionen. Man må styrke det regionale samarbejde under de forskellige narkotikabekæmpelsesprogrammer ved at fremme opbygningen af stabile regionale institutioner for narkotikabekæmpelse. Målet er på længere sigt at få narkotikabekæmpelsesforanstaltningerne integreret fuldstændigt i den regionale udviklingsstrategi og i Vestindiens samfundsmæssige, økonomiske og politiske liv. EU vil først og fremmest koncentrere sin indsats om narkotikabekæmpelse, med særligt sigte på uddannelse og oplysning. Med henblik på formindskelse af efterspørgslen efter narkotika agter EU at støtte regionens bestræbelser på at forbedre overvågning, uddannelse, lovgivning, organisationer og samarbejde. Hvad forsyningssiden angår, vil EU støtte regionens bestræbelser på at gå ind i den internationale narkotikabekæmpelse ved at styrke samordningen og samarbejdet med de latinamerikanske lande.

Ved at lægge større vægt på uddannelse kan man sikre befolkningen de kvalifikationer, som er fornødne for en økonomisk diversificering inden for bl.a. servicesektoren, og derved give den mulighed for at slippe ud af 'fattigdomsfælden'. Realisering af en personale- og videnbaseret vækst vil også tjene et andet formål, nemlig at forbedre den sociale mobilitet for personer, som rammes af de negative virkninger af strukturreformen og den økonomiske omlægning. Hjerneflugt, samfundsøkonomisk fremmedgørelse og et dårligt socialt sammenhold er realiteterne i store dele af Vestindien. EU's opskrift på, hvordan regionen kan overvinde de sociale og de samfundsøkonomiske problemer, den står over for i dag, er at tilvejebringe de kvalifikationer og den ekspertise, der kræves, for at kunne udnytte den økonomiske diversificering. EU har længe spillet en vigtig rolle i arbejdet på at støtte uddannelsen i Vestindien, og i første række på sekundær- og tertiærtrinnet og på universitetsniveau. Dette samarbejde videreføres og udvides. EU opfølger topmødet i Guadalajara mellem EU og de latinamerikanske lande med en opprioritering af bestræbelserne på at skabe en fælles højere uddannelse mellem Europa, Latinamerika og Vestindien.

Der er bl.a. tale om følgende foranstaltninger: opprioritering af det sociale sammenhold og fattigdomsbekæmpelsen i udviklingsarbejdet støtte til bekæmpelse af hiv/aids og andre endemiske sundhedsproblemer udbygning af samarbejdet om bekæmpelse af narkotika - såvel på udbuds- som efterspørgselssiden - og narkotikabetinget kriminalitet udvikling af personaleressourcer til støtte for økonomisk diversificering og bekæmpelse af fattigdom og social marginalisering. |

- Del III

EFFEKTIVISERING

Der kræves en koordineret indsats fra både EU's og Vestindiens side, hvis det skal lykkes at etablere et bedre struktureret og mere modent samarbejde, som tager større hensyn til de særlige forhold i Vestindien.

Forskellige problemer af strukturel art gør det vanskeligt at rejse støtte og afføder spændinger i forholdet mellem EU og Vestindien. Landene i Vestindien modtager støtte gennem EUF og forskellige andre budgetordninger, men den indbyrdes overensstemmelse og komplementaritet mellem de forskellige strategier, der ligger til grund for udnyttelsen af disse ordninger, og omfanget af finansierede foranstaltninger har været utilstrækkelig. Hertil kommer omstændighed, at der er mange små projekter, som omfatter mange forskellige sektorer, og at det ofte er vanskeligt at leve op til procedurekravene; dette lægger en urimelig tung byrde på de gennemførende regionale og nationale instanser og statsinstitutioner, idet de ofte er små og mangler den fornødne kapacitet. Dette er et problem, som EU's delegationer i regionen også er stødt på.

De regionale og nationale støttestrategier bør afpasses bedre efter hinanden, og de resulterende regionale og nationale vejledende programmet bør så vidt muligt understøtte hinanden. Nærhedsprincippet, dvs. at opgaverne varetages på det nationale eller regionale niveau, som er mest formålstjenligt, bør lægges til grund, når det skal bestemmes, hvilke foranstaltninger der skal igangsættes under de regionale og nationale vejledende programmer. Som generel regel bør der iværksættes budgetstøtte på nationalt niveau og bidragsaftaler med de regionale instanser. Budgetstøtteprogrammer har store potentielle fordele, idet de bl.a. betyder større medbestemmelse, lavere transaktionsomkostninger og en mere effektiv udnyttelse af støtten. Budgetstøtte indebærer også en kraftig støtte til strukturomlægning, ikke mindst under forhold, hvor der allerede er iværksat én enkelt god udviklingspolitik for landet eller regionen. I praksis bliver det sådan, at forudsætningen for at få budgetstøtte er, at kravet om en klart gennemskuelig og ansvarlig finansiel og administrativ forvaltning af udviklingsmidlerne overholdes.

På nationalt niveau organiseres EU's støtte omkring én enkelt national udviklingsstrategi, der kommer til at omfatte alle EU's finansieringsordninger, og herunder også EUF, særfinansiering inden for banan-, ris-, sukker- og romsektoren, og alle andre EF-budgetkonti og -ordninger, hvilket vil løse mange af de problemer, der opstår i forbindelse med varespecifikke finansieringsordninger, såsom den særlige rammebistand til bananer. På regionalt plan - og i nært samarbejde med Caricom/Cariforum's sekretariat - kan ordninger såsom den nye regionale udviklingsfond komme i betragtning som potentiel kanal for EU's regionaludviklingsbistand til Vestindien.

Man vil aktivt stræbe efter positive samspilsvirkninger mellem AVS-gruppens, de oversøiske landes og territoriers og de oversøiske departementers udviklingsprogrammer, samt EU's programmer for Latinamerika.

Kommissionen har fremsat forslag om en forenklet struktur for formidling af Fællesskabets eksterne bistand, idet der lægges større vægt på den indbyrdes afpasning og konsekvens, forbedring af de finansielle og administrative procedurer og tilskyndelse til medfinansiering fra anden side. Kommissionen foreslår også, at alle EU's medlemsstater anvender et ensartet format med henblik på fælles rammer for den flerårige planlægning[12].

Budgetstøtteprogrammer, hvorved donorstøtten bringes inden for budgettets rammer, vil give de vestindiske stater mulighed for at opnå en bedre fordeling mellem kapitaludgifter og løbende udgifter.

Der er bl.a. tale om følgende: man vil tilskynde til etablering af én fælles national og regional strategi for udnyttelsen af EU's udviklingsstøtte, dvs. uden hensyntagen til kilde eller ordning udviklingsstøtten formidles fortrinsvis gennem budgetstøtte- og bidragsaftaler de finansielle og administrative procedurer for formidling af støtte forenkles og programplanlægningen harmoniseres mellem EF og medlemsstaterne. |

KONKLUSION - EU-VÆRDITILVÆKST I VESTINDIEN

- EU og Vestindien har gennem lang tid haft et stærkt partnerskab baseret på historiske forhold og fælles værdier. Dette vigtige partnerskab har gennem årene vist sig at være til stor gavn for begge parter. Cotonou-aftalen, som løber til 2020, er et solidt grundlag for en styrkelse af dette værdsatte forhold. Cotonou-aftalen stiller mange muligheder i udsigt, og de bør udnyttes. EU og Vestindien vil arbejde sammen som partnere i de verdensomspændende bestræbelser på at fremme de universelle menneskerettigheder og fred og stabilitet i verden og bekæmpe fattigdommens svøbe.

Vestindien har afstukket en kurs mod regional integration, et bredere regionalt samarbejde og økonomisk diversificering, omstrukturering og reform som et middel til at udnytte de positive muligheder og minimere de negative virkninger, globaliseringen medfører for Vestindiens små og stadig sårbare stater, og som et middel til realisering af den vestindiske befolknings store forventninger om menneskelig udvikling. De vestindiske landes regeringer, civilsamfundsorganisationer, private erhvervsliv og regionale organisationer bærer naturligvis selv ansvaret for, hvordan regionens fremtid kommer til at forme sig. EU vil være Vestindien en trofast partner i dette arbejde, der tager udgangspunkt i en fælles fremtidsvision, og som omfatter et udbygget politisk partnerskab samt støtte til foranstaltninger til løsning af regionens samfundsøkonomiske og miljømæssige problemer, og foranstaltninger til fremme af det sociale sammenhold og bekæmpelse af fattigdom. Det trojkamøde mellem EU og Vestindien, som er planlagt i forbindelse med topmødet mellem EU og de latinamerikanske lande i maj, bliver startskuddet til en ny og omfattende politisk dialog.

ANNEX I

An EU-Caribbean partnership for growth, stability and development

1. The overall context, geopolitical dynamics, independence to present day

Most of the Caribbean countries[13] gained independence in the 1960s from the European colonial powers. Countries were granted independence on an individual basis even though integration efforts existed since the 1950s, such as the Caribbean Federation[14]. It was the height of the cold war and all regions of the world were important to the superpowers jostling for influence, allies and UN votes.

The region is characterized by a strong diversity in its history and socio/cultural development and with great disparities in economic development and wealth distribution; ranging from the impoverished island of Haiti, to the wealthy Turks and Caicos Islands, and with varied forms of government ranging from Cuba’s socialism to the stable democracies of the majority of the archipelago.

Several of the smaller islands of the region still retain close links to their former colonial metropoles in the form of self governing overseas countries and territories in the case of the Netherlands and the UK and in the form of parts fully included in the national territory in the case of France.

The early post colonial period was a period of continued strong involvement of the ex-colonial powers which also extended to the economic life of the region, with the establishment of preferential trade arrangements particularly in the area of commodities such as sugar, bananas and rum.

Preferential arrangements with the EU, the US[15] and Canada[16], coupled with above average aid flows, in particular from the former colonial powers resulting from decolonization sentiments, led to the development of higher standards of living than the norm in other developing countries.

This period was also characterised by isolationism and an almost exclusive focusing of external relations on relations with the former European metropoles, the USA and Canada.

The end of the Cold War in the early 1990s meant that the Caribbean region lost geostrategic importance. At the same time, there has been a gradual erosion of preferential trade arrangements, a diminishing of aid and an overall slowdown in growth which accentuated the fault lines in what is now coming to be seen as an inherently unsustainable system.

In terms of ranking in the Human Development Index, six countries are placed in the High Human Development cluster and with the exception of Haiti, a Least Developed Country (LDC), the rest are in the Middle Human Development cluster. With the exception of Haiti the region as a whole is currently scoring reasonably well in the MDGs. However, there are concerns that current levels of Human Development and MDG indicators could be unsustainable.

Although characterized by overall satisfactory levels of human development, poverty, inequality and reduced social cohesion are a growing reality. Caribbean countries have experienced serious social problems in recent years.. Indeed, poverty levels range between 8 and 35% with Haiti being the poorest country of the Hemisphere. Unemployment, inequality and the precarious situation and rights of indigenous populations in countries such as Belize, Guyana, Suriname and Dominica further aggravates the socio-economic situation.

The Caribbean, with 2.4%, has the second highest incidence of HIV/AIDS after Sub Saharan Africa. The cost to the region of HIV/AIDS is estimated at 6% of GDP per annum[17].

Security and stability within the region are under threat from a resurgence of internal ethnic tensions, criminality, drugs, drug related crime and armed violence.

Internal social, economic, and in some cases political problems are fuelling a rising migration sapping the region of much needed quality human resources. Despite an overall trend of declining unemployment in the region especially in countries like Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago, where it dropped from more than 20% in the beginning of the 1990s to around 10% in the beginning of the year 2000, unemployment rates tend to remain stable in the rest of the Caribbean region.

The Caribbean is a region at a crossroads. Bold leadership initiatives are required if the region is to face the political, economic and security challenges.

There are concerns- including within the region - that the Caribbean may slip from Middle Income to Low Income country status if steps are not taken to reverse economic trends and to define strategies that will take fully into account emerging global realities and seize the opportunities ahead.

Regionalism in the Caribbean emerged as a response to overcoming the development constraints of small size and is present in various forms from economic/political cooperation and association to economic and monetary union.

CARICOM dates from the early 1970s[18]. Similarly to other regional organisations, including the EU, CARICOM had to adjust its original scope and membership to adapt to the very different trade patterns, economic and political structures in the globalised world of today.

The new regionalism in the Caribbean is one that reflects a shift, towards closer relationships between the countries of the wider Caribbean and Latin America.

2. Partners in a shared vision of the future

The EU and the Caribbean have a long-lasting relationship based on the legacy of history, common values, economic and trade cooperation and an important volume of trade exchange. Colonisation of the Caribbean mainly by Britain, France, Spain and the Netherlands dates back to the 17th Century.

The EU remains very present in the region particularly through its member states who still have close links with the region: France through their DOMs and the UK and the Netherlands through their OCTs, and through privileged bilateral relations between individual Caribbean states and EU Member states. Notwithstanding expressed interest from all sides, effective economic and development cooperation has not fully materialised to date. While efforts are being undertaken in that direction there is clearly a need to do more.

Since the UK accession to the EU the successive EU-ACP Conventions have become the framework for relations between the Caribbean Region and the European Union.

The present preferential Cotonou ACP Agreement, concluded in 2000 and revised in 2005, combines a political dimension with trade and development issues in a single comprehensive framework, which will remain in place until 2020. However, so far the political dimension of Cotonou has remained largely under utilised. At the regional level political dialogue in future will be prioritised at the annual CARIFORUM – EU Ministerial meetings, while inter-regional level political dialogue will be intensified at the EU-LAC bi-annual summits in a troika context.

The Caribbean forum of ACP States CARIFORUM[19] was established in 1990 to provide a mechanism for the 15 Caribbean ACP states to manage regional cooperation under the Lomé Convention through the EDF. CARIFORUM has grown from a functional cooperation instrument to a forum for political dialogue among the Caribbean ACP states and contributed to the accession of Haiti into CARICOM (CARICOM has an economic integration focus) with the future adherence of the Dominican Republic also a possibility. The technical function of the CARIFORUM Secretariat is to be merged with the CARICOM Secretariat reflecting the importance attached by the CARIFORUM members to deeper regional political cooperation.

The EU-LAC strategic partnership links together the EU’s relations with Latin America and the Caribbean and creates a comprehensive common platform for dialogue and cooperation on political and socio-economic issues. Since the first EU-LAC Summit in Rio in 1999, the Summits are key events in this partnership. The next EU-LAC Summit will take place in Vienna in May 2006. This strategic partnership offers significant opportunities for the Caribbean in their efforts to expand their relations to the wider Caribbean and Latin America.

CARIFORUM, also including Cuba as a member, provides a useful platform for strategic political dialogue. The EU’s position on Cuba is governed by the Common Position adopted in 1996. The essence of the EU’s policy towards Cuba is based on constructive engagement in the political and economic arena. Although Cuba was being actively considered for accession to the Cotonou Agreement in 2003, political developments related to human rights put that process on hold and have severely strained relations between the two sides.

The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are perhaps the most innovative element of the Cotonou Agreement. Caribbean ACP countries (with the exception of Cuba), have benefited from preferential market access to the EU under the Cotonou Agreement and its predecessors. However, trade preferences alone are not able to provide the development the region needs and the Caribbean share of EU trade has been in long run decline. Old style preferential schemes based on assistance to commodities such like bananas, sugar etc proved that they were not sustainable with international trade. In addition, liberalisation and trade are phasing out and redefining the rent-based structure of the economies in the Caribbean. In response to this, negotiations on an EPA with the Caribbean started on 16th April 2004 after over a year of ACP talks. The EPA process will build on the current preferences to support Caribbean regional integration processes and provide a rules based framework to help increase competitiveness, diversify exports and create regional markets. Together with the enhancement of trade capacity this new trade regime under the EPA will contribute to sustainable economic development. It will also facilitate adjustment, including its social dimension, to trade policy reforms. The EU is the biggest grant donor in the Caribbean, both at the national and regional level. The overall volume of all forms of European Community aid to the Caribbean since Lome III is estimated at € 2.800 Bn.

The EU strongly supports regional integration in the Caribbean. Regional co-operation, since Lome III estimated at a total of € 331 M, has progressed steadily from simple projects benefiting two or three countries prior to 1990s, to functional cooperation between the entire CARIFORUM group of states aiming at building confidence and fuelling regionalism (1990 – 2000), to genuine regional integration programmes directly supporting CARICOM, and other regional institutions, and the completion of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, since 2000.

Total allocations on the individual Caribbean countries are around € 1.800 Bn for from Lomé III through to 2007, and have covered a wide range of areas. Levels of aid vary widely between countries with special emphasis on the poorer countries of the region and especially Haiti and Guyana. Substantial commodity related assistance has been provided to the region through the sugar, banana, rice and rum preferential arrangements, estimated at a total of € 649 M (Sugar € 19.477 M , Banana € 216 M, Rum € 70 M, Stabex € 209 M and Sysmin € 134 M)[20].

However, EC development cooperation has been hampered by a plethora of intervention sectors, funding instruments and small projects collectively taxing the limited implementation capacity of national and CARICOM/CARIFORUM institutions as well as that of EC competent services.

Strategies implemented through structural measures such as Stabex and the Special Framework of Assistance to Traditional Banana Suppliers (SFA Budget line), were not always coherent with the support strategy of the National Indicative Programme (NIP) of the countries concerned nor were they sufficiently geared towards encouraging increased productivity and diversification. There was limited coherence between national and regional development programmes. The Cotonou Agreement, in spite of its substantial innovations, has not been able to sufficiently address the development cooperation bottlenecks and the streamlining of various instruments.

Many of the European Member States have strong links with the region, and UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) is among one of the most active development partners in the region. In 2004 its estimated budget in the region was € 67 M and the main recipient countries included Montserrat, Jamaica and Guyana.

A number of Caribbean countries such as Dominica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, St Lucia, Suriname and Cuba are benefiting from specific French development aid instruments . French cooperation has mainly been oriented towards economic and social infrastructure projects and the civil society. 90% of the development funds – approximately € 12 M/year- are channelled towards the so-called “Zone de Solidarité Prioritaire “ – Cuba, DR, Haiti and Suriname.

The Federal Government of Germany is another important player in the region placing emphasis on poverty reduction, environmental and resource protection and modernisation of the government and society. The total budget in 2003 was estimated at € 35M. Main priority countries were Guyana, DR and Haiti.

The Netherlands has also made contributions in the region, notably in Suriname where bi-lateral development ties date back to 1975. The Dutch government is its main donor and is mainly active in six sectors, in the field of good governance and in certain long-term projects. The total budget in 2003 was estimated at € 24 M. The main priority countries were Suriname, Jamaica and Haiti.

Spain is also active in development cooperation with the Caribbean both at bi-lateral and regional levels. The total budget in 2004 was estimated at € 54 M. The main priority countries were DR, Cuba and Haiti.

This listing is not considered exhaustive.

European Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the region has always been significant. By the year 2003, the outward stock of European FDI in the Caribbean region, including Cuba, was estimated at € 13.7 Bn.

3. Challenges facing the Caribbean

The special characteristics of the Caribbean contribute to the vulnerability of the region and present a certain number of interrelated political, economic and social challenges and opportunities.

4. The geo-political challenges

At the EU-LAC summit in Rio in 1999, participating countries made a joint pledge to set up a strategic partnership with a view to forging links in the political, economic and social spheres. The Caribbean states are a part of that strategic partnership and have strong ties with Central America and South America, enshrined in various agreements and through their membership of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS)

Caribbean participation in broader hemispheric groupings, including CARIFORUM, the ACS and the FTAA, together with the creation of an EU- CARICOM free trade area and the EU-LAC strategic partnership will strongly reinforce the outward looking integration process which should lead to the eventual smooth integration of the region into the world economy.

The CARICOM members and the Dominican Republic are all established democracies with accountable administrations, free press and stable institutions. Nevertheless a number of potential issues could overturn this perception of security and stability with severe implications on economic and social progress.

Internal threats exist in the form of tensions between ethnic groups in some countries, economic downturn also causes social tension. Issues relating to unemployment, instability, drugs and related criminality and armed violence, small arms and light weapon trafficking all negatively impinge on the social fabric and the political life of the region. External threats exist from territorial and border disputes between some CARICOM member states and with some other neighbouring countries.

The advent of globalisation fortifies the need for widening and deepening of the Caribbean Community itself and for the region to move towards a more outward looking relation with the Latin American continent. The influence of individual Caribbean states in international organisations and fora is also quite important.

Cuba also plays an active role in the various international and regional fora. Although it is a full member of the United Nations, its role is limited by the fact that Cuba is not a member of several multilateral institutions such as the IMF, the WB, IDB (Inter American Development Bank) or the OAS (Organisation of American States).

With Venezuela, Cuba is promoting a Latin American alliance, the Iniciativa Bolivariana para las Americas (ALBA) which is seen as an alternative to the US-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).While the FTAA seeks free trade across the Americas as a whole, the ALBA proposes full integration of Latin America only, including the elimination of trade barriers.

The EU-LAC summits of Rio in 1999, Madrid in 2002 and Guadalajara in 2004 have contributed in further deepening the relations between the Latin America countries and the Caribbean. The well established relations of Dominican Republic, a CARIFORUM member, with Latin America countries are also an asset.

Central and Latin America offer extensive opportunities for the Caribbean but are also competitors in some commodity sectors and there are cases of territorial disputes among countries of these regions. The EU-LAC Summit process could offer valuable opportunities for political dialogue and conflict prevention.

An important challenge here is for the Caribbean to find the right balance in its relationships between its different hemispheric partners. Most of the Caribbean countries try to maintain well balanced relations with all big countries in the larger region where it geographically belongs. Given the differences that exist in the hemisphere, maintaining a balance respecting the interests of the very small islands states without excluding the regions from the major economic developments is a major challenge. In the longer term, the Caribbean has to carefully consider and prepare for the impact from the evolution of the situation in Cuba.

5. Economic challenges

The average GDP per capita for Caribbean countries in 2005 was estimated at 3640 US$. There are however within the region significant differences between the countries and also significant inequalities in wealth distribution within the individual countries. The gap between the richest and the poorest countries has tended to widen over the last forty years and divergence in GDP per capita levels has been stronger between the Caribbean economies than the Latin American economies. Nevertheless, the Caribbean has an average income inequality, measured by the GINI Coefficient at 0.38 which is lower than in Latin America. Countries such as Haiti, Dominican Republic, and the small island communities of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda do however suffer from high levels of inequality than the average Caribbean State[21].

The insular nature of most of the Caribbean is perhaps the single most important factor creating limitations to the efforts of integration of many small economies in the region and also adversely affecting the cost of energy, transport, communications and trade.

The Caribbean agricultural sector faces real challenges adjusting to structural changes in the global economy. Even before EU market reforms many traditional Caribbean exporters of rice, sugar, rum and bananas were structurally in long term decline under price pressure from more competitive suppliers, and this in spite of substantial EU aid and trade preferences. Preferential access to artificially high EU internal market prices is not a sustainable solution to problems of competitiveness, but the accelerating transition to a more diversified economy will be difficult.

Diversification, particularly in rural areas, is a difficult challenge, and requires a progressive approach. New activities can be developed around the dominant sectors, while simultaneously, if relevant, reinforcing their competitiveness and resilience.

According to the IMF, external current account deficits for the Caribbean are projected to worsen in the short term with the rise in oil prices and rising imports related to construction activity. Several countries are currently faced with macro-economic challenges, and fourteen Caribbean countries are among the thirty most indebted countries in the world.

The Caribbean is the most tourism intensive region in the world. Direct and indirect impacts of tourism account for 18% of total GDP in the region. However, tourism has not created strong linkages within national economies. Tourism infrastructure is mostly foreign owned and investment is being driven by substantial financial and tax incentives granted by the individual countries in competition with one another.

The efforts of several Caribbean countries to promote offshore financial centres have met with problems on two main accounts, namely unfair tax competition and lack of transparency in several areas, including taxation and security against money laundering operations. However, offshore business opportunities may still exist in other sectors. There are already several offshore medical schools in the Caribbean all geared to the US market. If adequately addressed offshore education should have the potential for further expansion.

Given the geographically dispersed nature of the Caribbean region interconnection including air, sea and land transport, telecommunications and connectivity and energy networks is another crucial challenge in regional integration and economic cooperation but at present lack of progress in this sector constitutes a major constraint on economic growth[22].

The challenge of integrated regional markets is at the heart of the concept of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). This process of integration and of fostering trade will continue to be accompanied by substantial and increasing support for building trade capacities and for the implementation of supply side reforms, as well as the promotion of customs and trade facilitation measures. The EPA will have to address key challenges such as the dependence of Governments on unpredictable tariff revenues and integration in a diverse region. These are not insignificant, but the alternative of increasing isolation from international markets is the far greater risk to development.

In order to mitigate the differences of economic development that exist among the members of the CSME the region will benefit internally from a Special Development Fund, (SDF), operated by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the newly established Regional Development Fund ( RDF). The setting up of this fund aims at supporting development of the less prosperous countries and regions and innovative strategies to enhance regional competitiveness.

The Caribbean Single Market component of the CSME was launched in January 2006 by six Caribbean States: Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago; the OECS countries are expected to join in the coming months.

To come to grips with the changing international situation countries need to embark on structural reforms and socio-economic transition from their traditional sectors towards higher added value products and services. Several have already embarked or are considering programmes in public and fiscal sector reform, macroeconomic stabilisation programmes, economic diversification, more effective labour markets, enhanced competitiveness, and a move to services and knowledge based economies. All these require strategic planning and investment in many areas, including human resources, energy, and transport and telecommunications infrastructure.

These reforms need to be intensified and speeded up or, current levels of development may be unsustainable, resulting in a slippage of some countries in the region from middle income to low income country status.

The needs are large and beyond the capacity of individual governments and require external assistance. A regional approach is fundamental to dealing with these many challenges.

6. Social challenges

Economic downturn is making some governments unable to continue delivering past levels of basic health and education services. Educational attainment is slowing in many islands and public services are deteriorating[23].

Human resources have always been considered as a very significant part of the region’s capital. Throughout the region the level of education, from primary education through to University level, has always been a source of pride. In recent years there are concerns of a decline in standards based in part on economic difficulties and on substantial migration of education professionals attracted by higher salaries in OECD countries. If the efforts to transform the economies of the region from primary commodities production to a diversified knowledge based services economy and if the private sector, both local and potential external investment, is to play its role as the motor of growth there will be an increasing need for a pool of high quality professionals. In this relation, it is important to remember that brain drain is also a major constraint on the region’s overall human resources situation.

Unemployed is an endemic concern in the region and unemployment rates tend to be higher in the banana producing countries between 15% in Jamaica to more than 20% in the banana producing Windward Islands. One constraint in the regional approach is the diversity within the region.

Three countries (Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti) account for 80% of the population and have very different development and political situations. With the exception of Guyana and Suriname, the countries are generally small, mostly island states with small open economies and located in disaster prone areas making them inherently vulnerable to man-made and natural shocks, both internal and external.

Improved health care in particular HIV/AIDS is considered key to the region’s economic development, to its attempt to alleviate poverty and to achieve specific goals of public health reform and reaching the MDGs and other international development commitments. The disparities between countries and the levels of inequality within countries, including access to health care, points to the need to place emphasis on both the national and regional level.

The upgrading of the health care services would also contribute to improve the competitiveness of the general tourism product, especially given the targeted high-end of the tourism market and the retiree group as an untapped, but promising expansion area. It should also be complementary to the international and national efforts to improve the social protection coverage of those excluded from existing systems.

Drugs, associated crime and armed violence are vulnerabilities to be addressed as it threatens the political and social fabric of Caribbean society and hinders the creation of an environment conducive to investment and sustainable growth. The Caribbean is not a drug producing region at this time, but is considered an important transiting link for drugs. The Caribbean is considered more the gateway to drugs destined for Europe as against Central America for drugs to the US.

In recent years a number of strategies to tackle these problems have been developed in the Caribbean, with US and EU support.

The EU, Commission and a number of Member States, has been the main financier of the 1996 – 2001 Regional Plan of Action on Drugs Control - Barbados Plan of Action (BPA).

Drugs are a major significant issue in the EU-LAC strategic partnership. The EU-LAC Co-ordination and Co-operation mechanism, based on the principles of shared responsibility, is a forum for dialogue and co-operation between the two regions on the problem of illicit drug production, consumption and trafficking.

The regional authorities should increase their efforts to plan, co-ordinate, supervise and deliver training related to activities to reduce supply through institutional strengthening and capacity building. Activities could include, inter alia, legal, legislative and regulatory frameworks, intelligence sharing among law enforcement agencies, strengthening of institutions, maritime cooperation, police and judicial co-operation, combating money-laundering, the trafficking of small arms and light weapons and the control of precursors.

7. Natural Disasters and the Environment Vulnerability

The Caribbean is currently faced with several structural environmental challenges such as climate change, and limited and fragile coastal, marine, biodiversity, land and freshwater resources.

Nature is a blessing and a curse to the Caribbean region. The natural environment has contributed significantly to the prosperity of the agricultural sector and is at the base of the region’s comparative advantage in the tourism sector, where tourism actually is the product on offer. The vagaries of nature, however, in the form of hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic activity and tidal waves, make the region one of the most disaster prone areas in the world, entailing high economic and social costs.

The Caribbean is twelve times as exposed to disasters as the world average. The Eastern Caribbean countries are among the ten most disaster prone countries in the world. The impact of natural disasters on small island states is devastating as in the case of Grenada where the impact of Hurricane Ivan was estimated at 200% of GDP as compared to 2% average of natural disasters elsewhere in the world.

Land is certainly one of the most limited resources in the Caribbean. It is therefore the subject of intense pressures from human activities. Poor land use and land management as well as increasing conflicts for the access to land (for agriculture, urbanization or other activities) have led to the degradation of this resource. Erosion and land degradation are particularly severe in coastal areas and in areas formerly covered by forests.

Deforestation has been intense in the region and forests now only cover less than 20% of total land area. The ever increasing demand for wood for energy, housing, or timber exportation, or for land, maintains a high pressure on the remaining forests. The Caribbean region is also particularly rich in biodiversity, with many endemic species. Local conservation initiatives do exist, but regional action is needed if biodiversity loss is to be reduced.

Land, forests, biodiversity: all are resources which are under further threat from climate change. Climate change may have an effect on the vegetation cover, on the degradation of land or on the coral reefs and marine resources, therefore affecting agriculture, fishing and even tourism. Its potential effects on these important sectors for the local economies may have a devastating impact on local fragile economies. Sea level rise is also threatening coastal areas, and estimates varying from 30 to 50 cm rise over the next 50 years are commonly accepted. Climate variability is also higher now and has led to more severe extreme climatic events like hurricanes and tropical storms.

Water resources are also under heavy pressure. The development of tourism and of modern agriculture has led to over-extraction of water. Some Caribbean States are far below the limit of 1000 m3 of available water per capita per year, under which countries are considered as “water scarce”. Careful and sustainable management of this resource is thus an absolute necessity and needs to be actively promoted.

Due to the limited size of their economy and their available land, waste management is usually a critical issue in the Caribbean states. Goods are imported with their package which remains on the island. The increasing share of non-biodegradable waste makes it more difficult to set up sustainable waste management schemes. A great challenge also lies in the way the region can handle the problem of hazardous waste and toxic chemicals.

Sustainability of the tourism-based growth is fragile, because it is often affected by events outside the region and beyond its control. In only a few hours, one hurricane can wipe out the entire tourism industry of one or more small islands. It is also increasingly being challenged by concerns over the conservation of the environment, by the need to upgrade available health care facilities as well as by insecurity related to drugs, drugs related crime and armed violence.

8. The EU Strategy

EU – Caribbean relations have suffered from a combination of factors: conflicting urgent and shifting international priorities and demands on both sides, the changing conditions surrounding commodities of interest to the region including sugar, bananas, rice and rum and difficulties in the implementation of aid.

The EU’s overarching development objective is to assist all the countries in the region to achieve their long term development goals in a self sustaining manner. This includes the generalized achievement of MDGs and poverty reduction, the consolidation and building upon the region’s Human Development achievements and the ambition expressed by some of the Caribbean MICs to join the ranks of the developed states by 2020, at the expiry of the current Cotonou Agreement.

The specific identity and characteristics of the Caribbean region, its prominent role within the ACP group of states and its attachment to the Cotonou Agreement, constitute the basis of its special relationship with the EU and the need for a specific policy approach.

The objectives will be achieved through a new enhanced EU – Caribbean Partnership composed of three interrelated facets, shaping political partnership, addressing socio- economic and environmental vulnerabilities and combating poverty, inequality, HIV/AIDS and drugs . Given the EU’s position a major donor in the region, aid effectiveness will be addressed as a cross cutting issue.

9. Shaping political partnership based on shared values

For the EU it is important that the Caribbean region remains attached to the values that it shares with the EU and does not slip, through benign neglect and economic difficulties, into a pole of insecurity and instability.

A strong political partnership with the EU, founded on a genuine political dialogue will help strengthen the Caribbean’s position on the international scene, and offer opportunities for collaboration in the UN and other international fora on issues of common interest. Enhanced political dialogue is also a key to increasing the confidence between the EU and its ACP partners needed to underpin the move towards greater budget and sector support financing and away from the traditional project approach.

Regional integration and the forging of alliances with other regions in the wider Caribbean, including the EU’s French Departments and UK and Netherlands OCTs constitute key priorities of the region.

The EU is not only a donor of development aid, but also a political and commercial partner, and its relations with its Caribbean partners should include broad, concrete and constructive political dialogue. Political dialogue is also a cornerstone of the EU – LAC strategic partnership.

The EU is a strong international partner which can help the Caribbean Region consolidate its position within the multilateral system and offer an extra dimension to the close links the region enjoys with North America.

While individual countries have specific needs and national development policies, growing regionalism in the Caribbean confirms the recognition that many common problems are best dealt at the regional level.

- CARICOM is considered the strongest manifestation of regional integrationist will at the political level in the Caribbean.

- CARIFORUM is considered the EU’s main intermediary for the wider level of political dialogue and functional co-operation in the region. The upcoming fusion of the Technical functions of the CARIFORUM Secretariat with the CARICOM Secretariat will ensure an enhanced cooperation and coordination between the two entities.

Therefore, EU Political dialogue should be pursued at the CARIFORUM/ CARICOM level and the annual EC-CARIFORUM ministerial meeting should be enhanced and broadened to cover issues beyond the narrow purview of regional cooperation.

The Caribbean has embarked on a path of regional integration, wider regional cooperation, and economic diversification, restructuring and reform, as a means towards harnessing the opportunities and minimising the negative effects of globalisation on its small and currently vulnerable states and as a way to achieve the Caribbean peoples’ high aspirations of human development. National Governments, civil society, private enterprise and regional structures in the Caribbean will obviously carry the responsibility for shaping their own future. Based on a shared vision of the future, and through an enhanced political partnership and the support of actions to address the region’s vulnerabilities and to promote social cohesion and combat poverty, the EU will be a steadfast partner for the Caribbean in its efforts.

The EU will also continue and enhance its support to other regional institutions linked to CARICOM[24] and promote policies that will encourage the integration of these institutions as an integral part of the political environment of CARICOM member states.

The EU will support the enlargement of CARICOM to include other Caribbean states. Already the DR is considering its participation in the CSME which could lead eventually to full membership of CARICOM. The long term position vis-à-vis Cuba will depend, among other considerations, on the pace of transition in that country.

Beyond the issue of Cuba, political dialogue will focus on wide ranging issues, including conflict prevention in Haiti and Guyana. The Presidential and Parliamentary elections of the 7th of February 2006 in Haiti are an encouraging step in the direction of the establishment of the democratic life of this country.

The EU will support the region’s own stated policy of widening its links to its hemispheric neighbours within the Caribbean, and in Central and Latin America.

- The opportunities for political dialogue offered by the ACS are also to be considered, especially given the particular status of a number of EU Member states in that body.

- The bi-annual EU-LAC Summit is a major opportunity for EU-Caribbean political dialogue and substantial efforts should be addressed at maximising the benefits from the evolving relationship between the Caribbean and its geographical neighbours. The biannual EU-LAC Summits are key events. They play a vital role in relations between the regions and are a unique opportunity to move forward on issues of common interest.

For the forthcoming Vienna Summit of 12 May 2006, the EU considers that the topics covered by the Guadalajara declaration – social cohesion, regional integration, multilateralism – remain important, but need to be fleshed out further.

The EU also welcomes the organization of a business forum and encourages social partners and civil society to contribute to the Summit.

Security, stability and conflict prevention are essential prerequisites for sustainable development. Security has become a major priority worldwide in recent times as many countries have been victims of terror attacks. Ensuring security and the rule of law, with equity, justice and full respect for human rights, are now fully recognised as fundamental, shared priorities.

The EU and the Caribbean should cooperate in addressing security threats, including non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery (WMD), trafficking and spread of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), illicit drugs trafficking and combating terrorism. They should cooperate to reinforce the role of the UN in the multilateral fight against terrorism, including through the full implementation of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and the UN Convention on Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, while ensuring respect for human rights in this context.

The EU should increasingly use regional and national development strategies and instruments to address the root-causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality and lack of social cohesion degradation of and access to already scarce natural resources, ethnic and political violence, weak governance, human rights abuses and gender inequality. Especially in certain fragile states a culture of conflict prevention needs to be developed and fostered. Conflict prevention is an implicit element in regional integration and co-operation, through awareness of common interest and mutual confidence-building. Regional institutions contribute to structure the dialogue and interaction among members, acting as a peer pressure mechanism. CARICOM has initiatives on the political front, such as electoral monitoring and special missions for the resolution of political issues[25]. The EU will support these efforts and other bilateral initiatives at conflict resolutions such as the DR-Haiti talks. The EU is a strong international voice in democratic process and has developed specific expertise in election observation. This tool will be used wherever necessary in the Caribbean region as a means of conflict prevention.

Good and effective governance is also recognised as a crucial prerequisite for sustainable development. Central to good and effective governance is the strengthening of credible institutions – such as parliaments, the judiciary system or public financial management and statistical systems – both at national and regional level. The EU will support institutional capacity building efforts. Governance, however, is not only about institutions, but also about appropriate policies and adequate legal and regulatory frameworks and effective involvement of civil society including social partners. The EU should therefore continue to promote transparency and effective exchange of information between authorities in order to prevent and combat corporate and financial malpractices and corruption. It should in particular encourage transparency in the financial and banking sectors, as well as administrative and judicial cooperation permitting effective exchange of information.

The EU should sustain and accelerate the process of ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption, a central part of which is the requirement that countries confiscate and repatriate illicit assets, and uphold the UN Convention against International Organised Crime. Moreover the EU should encourage the adoption and implementation of international standards relating to the fight against money laundering, terrorism, tax fraud and tax avoidance. The EU also encourages its international partners to sign and implement the main international instruments of crime prevention, like the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols and the UN Convention against Corruption. The EU should also address the limited institutional and technical capacity of Caribbean countries to deal with organized crime and drugs in an effective and comprehensive manner, through the development of internal strategies as well as capacity building.

The EU should also continue to promote human rights and equal opportunities and protect vulnerable groups, especially women. The EU will support gender mainstreaming and initiatives on gender equality in order to contribute to the implementation of the commitments in the MDGs, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Cairo Programme of Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

ACP/DOM/OCT Cooperation: The Caribbean ACPs, the French DOMs and the UK and Netherlands OCTs are part of the same region and have several converging interests. EU policy is to ensure closer cooperation and policy dialogue between these different entities in the field of trade but also in other areas of common interest, such as migration, transport, ICT, education, environmental issues, risk prevention, health, justice and security.

Both Cotonou, EU Member State national legislation[26] and the Overseas Association Decision create a favourable environment supporting such a policy dialogue, yet so far there has been little progress in activating it.

In 2005, the first Clovis Beauregard Conference was held in Martinique, co-sponsored by the European Commission, to promote ACP/DOM/OCT cooperation. This is a concrete step that should be encouraged in the future. Therefore and during the next funding period, efforts will be undertaken to co-ordinate ERDF and EDF financing. Specific funding will be allocated for the cooperation between the DOM and the ACP/OCT from the ERDF, in the framework of the new objective “Territorial Co-operation”, and from the EDF, respectively. As regards to EPAs and despite their different institutional situation, the French outermost regions show a growing interest in participating in the benefits of the agreement as another partner in the region.

10. Addressing economic and environmental opportunities and vulnerabilities

Economically the long term vision is of a region that has achieved a fully integrated economy with strong links to its wider geographic context and beyond. In an increasingly interdependent and globalised world, a major objective of EU development policy is to assist developing countries to better harness the globalisation process, by maximising the benefits derived and minimising the negative impacts.

In the particular case of the Caribbean, this primarily means to contribute to their efforts on structural reforms and economic transition from their traditional sectors towards higher added value products and services and to come to grips with the changing international situation.

Regional integration will increasingly represent a privileged area of future cooperation, where the European Union has a major role to play given its own historic experience.

EU will strongly support the completion and operation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) as an essential element of regional integration and for the establishment of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. The recent openness of the Dominican Republic to become a member of the CSME even though it is not a full member of CARICOM represents perhaps another opportunity for the EU to assist the region in creating the conditions for such a major and challenging integration milestone to succeed. The EU will contribute to strengthening and streamlining of existing regional institutions and organs in view of guaranteeing the smooth operation of the single market. The introduction of the single market by several CARICOM member states in January 2006 and the prospective for the rest of the CARICOM member states to join in the near future creates favourable conditions for a privileged partnership-based relationship between the European Community and CARICOM. Secondment of experts from Member States and European institutions to help address institutional functioning as well as other concrete technical aspects of regional integration, such as customs and trade facilitations measures, could be an area of future regional cooperation.

The Special Development Fund (SDF), the main home grown development instrument of the region based within the CDB, and the new Regional Development Fund could be natural partners of the EU regional development assistance in the Caribbean. These solidarity based regional level funds could also be important instruments for the EU to channel its future assistance and reinforce the integration process.

The timely conclusion of the EPAs process is a strategic area of importance to the future of the Caribbean region. A well defined and credible integration agenda and functioning internal market are the necessary pillars for a successful outcome of the EPA negotiations.This integration process is of strategic importance to the future of the economy of the Caribbean region. The development dimension should be further strengthened so as to better help the Caribbean region achieve strategic targets of global competitiveness. The EPA, which will properly take account of existing asymmetries between the two areas, shall allow the region to maintain and even improve its access to the EU market. The EU’s policy will be to further strengthen the development dimension of EPAs so as to better help the Caribbean region achieve their strategic targets of global competitiveness. As it enters its third phase, the EU will intensify its support to the EPA process so as to make sure that an agreement is concluded by 2007. In this context, it will promote progressive integration of financial markets as well as the development of an appropriate regulatory framework based on transparency.

Trade related assistance is being provided to the Caribbean to strengthen in-country and regional trade policy and negotiation capacity, to assist countries with the negotiation and implementation of the WTO agreements and EPAs, as well as other concurrent trade negotiations.

The removal of current barriers to intra-regional trade and investment and the establishment of more stable, transparent and predictable rules and reliable institutions will contribute significantly to the growth of national and regional economies.

In order to be able to benefit more from increased opportunities to trade and to ensure that benefits from increased trade are distributed more evenly, trade needs to be better integrated into national development strategies and in particular into poverty reduction strategies. The EU should assist the region in this process so as to enable Caribbean governments to effectively use trade as a policy tool to reduce poverty.

The EU strongly encourages and supports efforts to expand trade and economic links to the wider Caribbean region and notably the French DOMs and the UK and NL OCTs, and to Central and Latin America.

Programmes for the restructuring of traditional sectors and enhancing competitiveness and promoting economic diversification have been put in place for bananas, rice, rum and sugar.

In its proposal for reform, the Commission committed itself to accompanying the adaptation process required in those countries. In this context a Regulation on “Establishing Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol Countries Affected by the Reform of the EU Sugar Regime” was adopted in 2005, outlining actions to be funded under the budget 2006-2013. Support will be provided on the basis of National Adaptation Strategies, prepared by the Sugar Protocol countries. Foreseen measures could include: (i) Supporting sustainable improvement of the competitiveness of the cane sector, (ii) Promoting diversification of sugar dependent areas (iii) Addressing broader adaptation needs, including mitigation of social impacts.

Key to the successful mitigation of exogenous economic shocks is comprehensive national strategies for restructuring and recovery including the social dimension, fully embedded within overall national and regional development strategies. Such national and regional strategies for reform should accommodate the provision of EU aid through general or sectoral budget support at regional and national level. This would further strengthen national and regional institutions as well as democratic accountability. It would also reinforce coherence in strategic planning and programming and coordination of the development cooperation between the European Community, CARICOM and the individual countries.

Support should be provided to the civil society and the non-state actors (NSA). Support will mainly be aimed at enhancing the capacity building efforts of the civil society and the non-state actors including social partners.

Support should be provided to the private sector and especially small and medium size enterprises that are expected to be the driving force behind sustainable growth and job creation.

EU Research and Development Policy: The EU Research Framework Programmes encourage international cooperation with Caribbean countries and value the potential to reinforce the partnership with that region.

Caribbean countries will benefit from new mechanisms which are being put in place under the 7th EU Research Framework Programme (2007-2013) such as exchange of researchers and coordination of the bi-lateral cooperation programmes vis-à-vis EU Member States and Third Countries. Moreover, Science and Technology Promotion Platforms recently launched with Latin-America and the Caribbean region will further develop these possibilities in a wide regional context.

The EU has supported in the past and will continue its support if required to the CARTAC, the Caribbean Technical Assistance Centre, spearheaded by the IMF, which provides technical assistance on economic and fiscal reform.

The EIB which has a solid track record of development activities in the region should also continue its activities in support of regional integration, private sector and the socio-economic infrastructure in the Caribbean.

Interconnection, whether in the form of air, sea and land transportation is a major element in regional integration and cooperation. The EU has a history of support to the sector of regional transport through the funding of airports, ports, maritime transport, roads and through support to institutional aspects of the transport sector. Interconnectivity programmes, possibly linking with existing programmes in the DOMs and in Latin America will be encouraged.

EU policy will be to continue its support in the area of interconnection, including infrastructure, to encourage the efforts of the individual countries and of the region to enhance their intra-region transport, ensure the closer coordination of their transport policies and liberalise the air transport sector.

Support will also be considered in the areas of energy interconnection, including grid-access to electricity from renewable energy sources and of energy efficiency e.g. by cutting systems losses.

Helping the Caribbean region in their efforts to come to grips with the changing international situation and with the need to embark on structural reforms and economic transition from their traditional sectors towards higher added value products and services is a key objective. In order to achieve this goal, the Caribbean must modernise their states, redefine their overall public sector, reform their government finances, reduce dependence upon import revenues and enhance competitiveness to improve the investment climate so as to create the conditions of sustainable and jobs creating growth.

Key to successful socio-economic transition is the establishment and effective implementation of national long term strategies by the region and the Governments of the Caribbean states. These National strategies must be the basis for all donor cooperation on the regional and national level. All EU aid, irrespective of source or instrument, will be committed in full coherence with national development strategies. For EC development aid this will apply to 10th EDF development cooperation as well as all commodity specific instruments, including but not limited to sugar and bananas, and STABEX.

The EU will continue and strengthen its support to the sectors of Environmental Management and Natural Disaster Management, with emphasis on climate change adaptation and mitigation, early warning, prevention, recovery and rehabilitation.

The EU will support the current efforts of the Caribbean to engage into a proactive agenda to jointly manage structural environmental challenges such as climate change, chemicals and wastes, as well as limited and fragile coastal, marine, biodiversity, land and freshwater resources. Institutional and legislative framework improvement, capacity building and civil society and local population’s involvement will form part of the strategy.

Cooperation in international fora relative to climate change and environmental management will be enhanced.

EU support to the tourism sector must also incorporate the environmental dimension and particularly waste management and coastal zone development. The EU has supported the creation of environmentally managed areas such as the Iwokrama project in Guyana and national parks creation in Grenada, Dominica and elsewhere.

The EDF funded Caribbean Regional Environment Programme with the Caribbean Environment Corporation aimed at strengthening of regional capacity in conservation, management and sustainable development of regional amenity areas (marine, terrestrial, watersheds), illustrated that institutional weaknesses exist in regional bodies which need to be addressed. The EU will therefore also contribute to the building of institutional capacity for environmental management.

CARIFORUM could be supported to train adequate numbers of professionals, to develop a regional action plan, to adopt common approaches to natural resource management, global warming and climate change, to strengthen regional institutional capacities and promote the sustainable use of its biodiversity for commercial purposes.

Environmentally friendly renewable energies could offer the Caribbean much in terms of enhancing the environment but also in economic terms. The EU will promote the pursuit of opportunities in the renewable energies sector, including the promotion of cooperation within the wider Caribbean region and the sharing of best practices and knowhow amongst partner countries. In the second half of 2006 the Finnish presidency of the EU will in the context of the Energy and Environment Partnership with Central America (EPP) organise a conference under the name "European Union Meets Latin America on Renewable Energies" in which the EU will strongly support active Caribbean participation.

The Energy sector in the Caribbean will be eligible for support from the Energy facility, and particular emphasis will be placed on promoting renewable energies.

The EU will contribute significantly to increase the region’s capacity in Natural Disaster Management at all levels, with emphasis on risk reduction, preparedness, early warning, prevention, mitigation and recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Early warning, especially in the case of hurricanes, is technically feasible and the region’s capacity has been enhanced through the 8th EDF Radar Warning System (€13.2 million, 2003-06). This programme will contribute to mitigate the economic, social and environmental losses arising from adverse weather conditions, to improve weather data for sensitive productive activities and to develop early warning and public awareness systems.

The EU will assist the Caribbean region in developing and implementing its strategy for a comprehensive disaster management plan. Such a plan must be holistic in scope also covering issues such as building codes, insurance, rapid response mechanisms including in the area of public security, telecommunications etc.

Support will give continuity to the programmes developed by ECHO, through the DIPECHO programme, and earlier EDF funding in association with CDERA and other strategic partners. DIPECHO (Disaster Preparedness ECHO) has been contributing to the improvement of capacity in the protection and preparedness of communities at risk, with focus on the interrelationship of the various levels of action (local, provincial, national and regional) and on initiatives that can be reproducing, and on the co-ordination of donor efforts. Cross fertilisation of best practices with the French DOM and other EU OCTs, will be strongly supported.

The EU will seek means of streamlining responses to natural disasters. Emergency aid through international partners is immediately allocated and rapidly delivered, however, the phase of rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction requires strengthening. New and faster disbursing arrangements will be actively considered within a pre-committed financing arrangement.

Regional approaches to Natural Disaster Management are an imperative in the Caribbean. The size of most countries is such that disasters can affect over 90% of the country, as in the recent case of Grenada, necessitating immediate external assistance from the region.

Natural Disaster Management was one of the four priority areas retained for Caribbean ACP/OCT/DOM co-operation..

Exchanges of experience and know-how with countries of the wider Caribbean, notably Cuba, will also be actively promoted in the context of regional cooperation.

The EU Natural Disaster Facility that has been decided in 2005 and which will be a part of the 10th EDF development finance arrangements of the Cotonou Agreement will be a major step, particularly in addressing the area of preparedness. Bridging funding has been agreed to cover the period until the coming into force of the new funding and to assist in the design of the facility itself.

11. Promoting Social Cohesion and Combating Poverty

Tackling the major vulnerabilities in the Caribbean region will help the countries to both improve their economic competitiveness and ensure a better socio-economic cohesion. The EU’s overarching development objective is to assist all the countries in the region to achieve their long term development goals in a self sustaining manner. This includes the generalized achievement of MDGs and poverty reduction, reversing the trend of HIV/AIDS prevalence, the consolidation and building upon the region’s Human Development achievements and the ambition expressed by some of the Caribbean MICs to join the ranks of the developed states by 2020, at the expiry of the current Cotonou Agreement.

Support to the efforts of the individual Caribbean states and of the region to tackle HIV/AIDS as well as other important endemic health problems in the region, including malaria, dengue fever, acquired diabetes and cardiovascular problems, is a political priority of EU development cooperation.

The EU will support interventions for health by strengthening health systems, with special emphasis on human resources, and by increasingly working through sector wide approaches and sector budget support.

The EU is supporting the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with a view to maximising benefits for developing countries. In addition, the EU is contributing to the development of new drugs and vaccines against communicable diseases, inter alia through the European and Developing countries Clinical Trials Partnerships (EDCTP). In response to the Council’s request[27], the Commission will, together with the Member States, develop a roadmap on possible joint action based on the European Programme for Action to confront HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis[28]. The EU will, in this context, promote synergies and provide a coherent and coordinated response to the three diseases across relevant policy areas[29]. In this sense, the Commission has adopted a Communication on combating HIV/AIDS within the European Union and the Neighbouring countries. [30]

The EU has been at the forefront of international efforts to ensure access to essential medicines for developing countries. These efforts contributed to the adoption of the Doha Declaration on TRIPs and public health in November 2001, which confirms the right of WTO members to use flexibilities in the TRIPs Agreement, including issuing compulsory licenses of pharmaceutical products, for reasons of public health. The EU will also support a better linkage between the fight against communicative diseases and the strengthening of health services with special attention to vulnerable groups.

The EU will support the regionalisation of co-operation in health services. There are already examples of a regional approach to the health sectors within for example the OECS where there is a joint pharmaceuticals procurement programme aiming at economies of scale and the new St Lucia Hospital is intended to provide certain specialities for the sub region. This is also the case with certain other medical facilities in the region and in the French DOM.

EU support will be focused on the development and implementation of regional and national strategies addressing both the supply and demand reduction aspects of the problem and the associated issues of drugs related crime. It is necessary to strengthen regional co-ordination of the various drug control programmes by reinforcing relevant, sustainable regional institutions. Long-term objectives are to ensure full integration of drug-related policies into regional development strategies as well as into the social, economic and political fabric of the Caribbean.

With respect to demand reduction, the EU will support the region’s efforts to increase levels of epidemiological surveillance, specialised training of professionals, revise national and regional action plans, place priority on public health, education and research, link treatment and law enforcement, provide specialised training and develop national and regional institutional capacities, and co-ordination of demand reduction projects. Regional capacity in drugs control will be developed, enabling the regional institutions to plan, co-ordinate and monitor demand reduction efforts throughout the region.

On the supply side the EU will support the region’s efforts to deepen its involvement in the international coordination against drugs trafficking, improve regional capacities to disrupt flows, increase regional co-operation, expand regional co-ordination in anti-money laundering and provide specialised training and institutional capacity development.

Increased co-ordination and co-operation with Latin American and other countries and regions are key to the success of efforts in the area of drugs. Full engagement by all partners in the Co-ordination and Co-operation Mechanism on Drugs between the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean will facilitate the achievemen