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