Wikipedia

Overseas Countries and Territories Association

Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA; French: Association des pays et territoires d'outre-mer de l'Union européenne, PTOM[2]) is an international organisation founded on 17 November 2000 during the conference of prime ministers of overseas countries and territories in Brussels, Belgium. It includes almost all special member state territories of European Union whose purpose is to improve economic development in overseas countries and territories and cooperation with the European Union. It currently has 13 members.[3] On 25 June 2008, a Cooperation Treaty between the EU and OCTA was signed in Brussels.[4]

Overseas Countries and Territories Association
Association des pays et territoires d’outre-mer de l’Union européenne
AbbreviationOCTA
Formation17 November 2000; 23 years ago (2000-11-17)
TypeInternational organization
PurposeEconomic and social cooperation[1]
HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
Region
Special member state territories of EU
Membership
13
Official language
English, French
Chairman
New Caledonia Louis Mapou
Websitewww.overseas-association.eu

Prior to Brexit, until 31 January 2020, there had been 22 Overseas Countries and Territories associated with the European Union and members of OCTA.[5]

Chairmen edit

 
Édouard Fritch, President of French Polynesia and the OCTA Chairman in 2018.

Since 2011, the chairmen are chosen annually and their function is to head the organization and elect an Executive Committee. The current[6] and previous[7] chairmen are:

OCTA members edit

The members of OCTA are:[5]

Member Location Status
  Aruba Caribbean   Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
  Bonaire Caribbean   Special municipality of the Netherlands
  Curaçao Caribbean   Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
  French Polynesia Pacific Ocean   Overseas country of France
  French Southern and Antarctic Lands Indian Ocean and Antarctica   Overseas territory of France
  Greenland North America and Arctic   Autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark
  New Caledonia Pacific Ocean   Special collectivity of France
  Saba Caribbean   Special municipality of the Netherlands
  Saint Barthélemy Caribbean   Overseas collectivity of France
  Sint Eustatius Caribbean   Special municipality of the Netherlands
  Saint Pierre and Miquelon North America   Overseas collectivity of France
  Sint Maarten Caribbean   Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
  Wallis and Futuna Pacific Ocean   Overseas collectivity of France

Former members edit

Member Location Status
  Anguilla Caribbean   British Overseas Territory
  Bermuda Atlantic Ocean   British Overseas Territory
  British Virgin Islands Caribbean   British Overseas Territory
  Cayman Islands Caribbean   British Overseas Territory
  Falkland Islands Atlantic Ocean   British Overseas Territory
  Montserrat Caribbean   British Overseas Territory
  Pitcairn Islands Pacific Ocean   British Overseas Territory
  Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Atlantic Ocean   British Overseas Territory
  Turks and Caicos Islands Caribbean   British Overseas Territory

Political dialogue between EU, OCTA, and EU member states edit

The forum between OCTs, European Union and its member states to which OCTs are linked, has been held annually since 2003 alternating between Brussels (Belgium) and an OCT:[11]

  1. September 2002 – Brussels (Belgium)
  2. December 2003 – Brussels (Belgium)
  3. March 2005 – Papeete (French Polynesia)
  4. December 2005 – Brussels (Belgium)
  5. September 2006 – Nuuk (Greenland)
  6. November 2007 – Brussels (Belgium)
  7. November 2008 – George Town (Cayman Islands)
  8. March 2010 – Brussels (Belgium)
  9. March 2011 – Nouméa (New Caledonia)
  10. January 2012 – Brussels (Belgium)
  11. September 2012 – Ilulissat (Greenland)
  12. December 2013 – Brussels (Belgium)
  13. February 2015 – Road Town (British Virgin Islands)
  14. February 2016 – Brussels (Belgium)
  15. February 2017 – Oranjestad (Aruba)
  16. February 2018 – Brussels (Belgium)
  17. February 2019 – Tahiti (French Polynesia)
  18. December 2020 – online

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the European Union – Vision". weadapt.org. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Les PTOM". www.octassociation.org. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  3. ^ "OCTs". Overseas Countries and Territories Association. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
  4. ^ Future relations between the EU and the Overseas Countries and Territories (PDF). Brussels: Commission of the European Commities. 25 May 2008. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  5. ^ a b "OCTA Presentation". Overseas Countries and Territories Association. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
  6. ^ "About the Overseas Countries and Territories Association". OCTA. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  7. ^ "Former Chairs". octassociation.org. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Current Chair - Curaçao". octassociation.org. Archived from the original on 29 December 2019.
  9. ^ "OCTA Ministerial Conference 2020". OCTA. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  10. ^ "Louis Mapou : New OCTA Chair". OCTA. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  11. ^ "Political dialogue EU–OCT–MS – Annual Forum". octassociation.org. Retrieved 2019-01-08.

External links edit

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