Competitive OCTs for a sustainable development
Olivier GASTONRepresentative of OCTA
Chairman &Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
• Population• Size• GDP : LDCs and “industrialised” territories
OCTs assets• Biodiversity• Natural resources• Economic exclusive zones
Key figures
Biodiversity
Natural resources
Economic Exclusive Zones
2 existing development models in the OCTs• Development based on natural resources
(example of cooperation)• Development based on attractive
business climate & luxury tourism
Issues: sustainability in the long run and difficulty to replicate for less competitive OCTs
need for innovative paths based on local assets and external environment
Sustainable development: issues
Greater Competitiveness
Theoretical Linkages between OAD objectives
Adaptation capacity and resilience
Cooperationand Regional Integration
3+
+
2
1 +
+/-
+
Regional European Development Fund exponential increase
Supported by two other objectives of competitiveness and resilience
Administrative challenges: creation of « mirror funds »?
Regional cooperation
Local factors• Natural resources• Regional insertion and accessibility• Business climate (bureaucracy)• Technology: human resources and
researchCompetitiveness poles – centres of
excellence
International factors• Preferential access: preferential duties
AND flexible rules of origin
Competitive islands - factors
Local factors : Development Policy• Territorial EDF: education, training,
business environment, accessibility…• Regional EDF: Territorial Strategies for
Innovation project, SMEs project in the Caribbean
International factors: Trade preferences (strongly eroded)• Duty free access to EU market• Technical barriers to trade: rules of
origin
Competitiveness: how the EU is supporting?
International factors: trade• Ask the European Commission to ensure OCTs
are adequately and early informed on the EU trade policy
• Rules of Origin release: extend improvements granted to other similar territories (eg automatic derogation for some SIDS)
Sustainable development• Support innovation policies• Include economic sectors in areas of
cooperation
Competitiveness: what more could be done in OAD?
Draft OAD• New areas of cooperation for aid delivery• Expectations for eligibility to Development
Cooperation Instrument environmental programmes
To go further• Take into account OCTs in UNFCCC decision making• Explore Agendas 21 as a tool for prospective
approach, participative governance and sustainable development
Adaptation capacity and resilience
Need for greater attention to objectives of competitiveness and resilience in OAD implementation
OAD implementation requires coordination : EU financial decisions (effectiveness) EU free trade agreements International cooperation on climate change
and biodiversity
Conclusion
Thank you for your attention