There was a big meeting in Cayman last week between members of the Overseas Countries & Territories (OCT) and the European Union. Who knows if Bermuda attended or not? It seems rare for “someone” to miss an opportunity in the limelight.
One of the topics for discussion was a green paper by the European Community, published early this summer, asking for input to shape the relationship between the OCTs and Europe.
Bermuda is the only OCT that has requested not to be “associated” with the EU. All 21 others are participating. Does anyone know the background on why Bermuda has opted out of this?
The green paper says the EU is:
keen to develop a more active partnership with the OCTs as regards cooperation in other areas such as economic policy, enterprise, employment and social policy, trade and investment, infrastructure, research, maritime affairs and governance of the sea, energy supply, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, good governance (including in the tax, financial and judicial area), civil society development, cultural exchanges, the media, education and training, migration, and the fight against organised crime, trafficking of human beings, terrorism, money laundering, tax fraud, tax evasion, drugs and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, as well as administrative, police and judicial cooperation. Moreover, cooperation in the field of both sea and air transport — including as regards the Common Aviation Area — can significantly contribute to the integration of OCTs within their region and to a closer relationship between the OCTs and the Community.
I am sure we’ll hear rants of “colonial affront” when the decisions that we neglected to join in formulating are revealed.