1. Slide: 1 Commission Européenne – DG DEV The Association between the EU and the Overseas Countries and Territories DG Développement D/1

2. Slide: 2 Commission Européenne – DG DEV EU – OCT Association lSummary presentation lHistorical Background l2001 Association Decision

3. Slide: 3 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Summary presentation of OCTs lMap lStatistics lLegal Framework

4. Slide: 4 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Map of OCTs

5. Slide: 5 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Statistical Overview

6. Slide: 6 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Legal Framework lPart IV of the EC Treaty, Articles 182 to 188 devoted to the association with the OCT; lThe 2001 Council 'overseas association decision' which implements the Treaty and the implementing Regulations ; lThe European Development Fund: mInternal Agreement, fixing the financial support; mFinancial Regulation, on procedures;

7. Slide: 7 Commission Européenne – DG DEV OCTs in the Treaty lArt. 182 of the Treaty: « MS agree to associate with the Community the non-European countries and territories which have special relations with DK, F, NL and UK. The purpose of the association shall be to promote the economic and social development of the countries and territories and to establish close economic relations between them and the Community as a whole. » lThe subsequent articles deal with trade and customs duties

8. Slide: 8 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Historical Background (1) lAt the beginning, OCT association covered very large countries lMain purpose of Part IV of the Treaty: to deal with the new situation where the European Customs Union replaced the existing bilateral trade arrangements with former colonies. lFocus on progressive dismantling of customs duties: outdated subject, because the Community customs duties are much lower now than they were.

9. Slide: 9 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Historical Background (2) lMost of the original OCTs have become ACP countries. lThese changes were reflected in the 4 Lomé Conventions (1975 and 1989), and the Cotonou Agreement (2000). lClose link between the EU/OCT association and the Yaoundé, Lomé and now Cotonou treaties

10. Slide: 10 Commission Européenne – DG DEV The OCT Evolution lStarting from the late eighties, the European policy toward the ACP was less relevant to the OCTs. lExamples: macro-economic structural adjustment, good governance, human rights. lMS sought a more specific arrangement for the OCTs. lIn 1991 the first association decision granted trade provisions far more open than those offered at that time to any other partner

11. Slide: 11 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Treaty of Amsterdam lIn 1997 the Treaty of Amsterdam (Declaration N°36) underlined the OCT specificity lFour objectives : mpromoting the economic and social development of the OCTs more effectively; mdeveloping economic relations between the OCTs and the European Union; mtaking greater account of the diversity of the individual OCTs; mimproving the effectiveness of the financial instrument.

12. Slide: 12 Commission Européenne – DG DEV The 2001 Decision Framework: democracy, human rights, rule of law lTrade provisions lOther areas of cooperation lPartnership Bodies lFinancial resources

13. Slide: 13 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Trade provisions Not part of European Single Market lFull freedom of access to the EC market (unlike the ACP States) for products originating in the OCTs, lFree access to the EC market for non- originating products in free circulation in the OCTs after the EC customs duty has been paid in the OCT. lOn trade in services: mOCTs may give preference to their inhabitants.

14. Slide: 14 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Other areas of cooperation For each OCT within its development strategy and for regional measures lProductive sectors (including infrastructures) lSocial sectors lRegional cooperation lCultural cooperation

15. Slide: 15 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Partnership Bodies lPrinciple of a trilateral partnership between Commission, MS to which the OCT is linked and OCT. lTwo main bodies ensure effective cooperation: mOCT-EC forum for dialogue ('OCT Forum') meets annually and brings together the three partners; mfor each OCT, a partnership working party acting in an advisory capacity, made up of representatives of the three partners.

16. Slide: 16 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Financial Resources OCTs benefit from various forms of financial assistance: lgrants from the European Development Fund ; European Development FundEuropean Development Fund lrefundable aid from the Investment Facility; lloans from the European Investment Bank's own resources; laid under horizontal budget lines and under Community programmes. Financial resources from the 9th European Development Fund

17. Slide: 17 Commission Européenne – DG DEV Outermost Regions lUnlike the OCT, these 7 regions are part of the European Union ltheir distinctive characteristics qualify them for special treatment in various sectors. (Treaty of Amsterdam, art. 299) lBenefit from Structural Fund assistance from Community Budget (objective 1 programmes) lShare many physical and socio economic characteristics with OCTs