Overseas Countries and Territories Association

Overseas Countries and Territories Association[1]
Association des pays et territoires d’outre-mer de l’Union européenne
AbbreviationOCTA
Formation17 November 2000 (2000-11-17)
TypeInternational organization
PurposeEconomic and social cooperation[2]
HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
Region
Special member state territories of EU
Membership13
Official language
English, French
Chairman
 Louis Mapou
Websitewww.overseas-association.eu

Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA; French: Association des pays et territoires d'outre-mer de l'Union européenne, PTOM)[3][1] 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.[4] On 25 June 2008, a Cooperation Treaty between the EU and OCTA was signed in Brussels.[5]

Prior to Brexit, until 31 January 2020, there had been 22 Overseas Countries and Territories associated with the European Union and members of OCTA.[6]

Chairmen

Since 2011, the chairmen are chosen annually and their function is to head the organization and elect an Executive Committee. The current[7] and previous[8] chairmen are:

OCTA members

The members of OCTA are:[6]

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

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

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:[12]

  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
  19. November 2022 - Nouméa (New Caledonia)
  20. February 2024 - Brussels (Belgium)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Staff writer (2024). "Association of Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union (OCTA)". UIA Global Civil Society Database. uia.org. Brussels, Belgium: Union of International Associations. Yearbook of International Organizations Online. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the European Union – Vision". weadapt.org. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  3. ^ "Les PTOM". www.octassociation.org. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  4. ^ "OCTs". Overseas Countries and Territories Association. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ a b "OCTA Presentation". Overseas Countries and Territories Association. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
  7. ^ "About the Overseas Countries and Territories Association". OCTA. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  8. ^ "Former Chairs". octassociation.org. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Current Chair - Curaçao". octassociation.org. Archived from the original on 29 December 2019.
  10. ^ "OCTA Ministerial Conference 2020". OCTA. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  11. ^ "Louis Mapou : New OCTA Chair". OCTA. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  12. ^ "Political dialogue EU–OCT–MS – Annual Forum". octassociation.org. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
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