State Secretary Hans Winkler met the foreign ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) today in the margins of the EU-Latin America/Caribbean Summit. "The Caribbean Community is a young, dynamic example of successful regional cooperation. Like the European Union, this community of 15 Caribbean states founded in 2001 aims to meet the challenges of the 21st century together more effectively than each country is able to do on its own. I am therefore pleased that the CARICOM countries have taken the step from a free trade area to a political community in the last few years", State Secretary Winkler said.
On 1 January 2006 six members of the Caribbean Community intensified their cooperation by setting up an internal market. Winkler stated in this context that the European Union is currently negotiating with CARICOM on an economic partnership agreement. "The European Union is already CARICOM's second biggest trading partner. The new agreement is intended to further develop our partnership."
In addition to economic themes, today's meeting also focused on environmental and climate protection, and cooperation in the United Nations. "The EU is aware of the risks climate change pose to small island states. We will therefore continue to take account of these countries' concerns both in bilateral relations and in international climate change negotiations", Winkler said. Most of the 15 CARICOM members also belong to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) which are severely affected by the expected rise in sea levels and thus greatly interested in close cooperation with the EU in the climate and energy sector.
"Peace, security and stability in the world can only be achieved through multilateral cooperation based on mutual trust. This conviction is shared on both sides of the ocean", Winkler declared.
Email Service
Accreditation
Hotel Reservation
Route Planner
Weather