Overseas Countries and Territories Association explained

Overseas Countries and Territories Association
Native Name:	Association des pays et territoires d’outre-mer de l’Union européenne
Map:	EU special territories (en).svg
Abbreviation:	OCTA
Type:	International organization
Purpose:	Economic and social cooperation^[1]
Headquarters:	Brussels, Belgium
Region:	Special member state territories of EU
Membership:	13
Language:	English, French
Leader Title:	Chairman
Leader Name:	Louis Mapou

Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA; French: Association des pays et territoires d'outre-mer de l'Union européenne, PTOM^[2]) 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.^[3] On 25 June 2008, a Cooperation Treaty between the EU and OCTA was signed in Brussels.^[4]

Prior to Brexit, until 31 January 2020, there had been 22 Overseas Countries and Territories associated with the European Union and members of OCTA.^[5]

Chairmen

Since 2011, the chairmen are chosen annually and their function is to head the organization and elect an Executive Committee. The current^[6] and previous^[7] chairmen are:

• Reuben Meade, Premier of Montserrat (1 January – 31 December 2011)
• Kuupik Kleist, Prime Minister of Greenland (1 January – 31 December 2012)
• Stéphane Artano, President of the Territorial Council of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1 January – 31 December 2013)
• Orlando Smith, Premier of British Virgin Islands (1 January 2014 – 26 February 2015)
• Ivar Asjes, Prime Minister of Curaçao (26 February 2015 – 31 August 2015)
• Bernard Whiteman, Prime Minister of Curaçao (31 August 2015 – 25 February 2016)
• Michiel Godfried Eman, Prime Minister of Aruba (25 February 2016 – 23 February 2017)
• Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (23 February 2017 – 22 February 2018)
• Édouard Fritch, President of French Polynesia (22 February 2018 – 27 February 2019)
• Eugene Rhuggenaath, Prime Minister of Curaçao (27 February 2019 – 8 December 2020)^[8]
• Thierry Santa, President of New Caledonia (8 December 2020 – 22 July 2021)^[9]
• Louis Mapou, President of New Caledonia (since 22 July 2021)^[10]

OCTA members

The members of OCTA are:

Member	Location	Status
		Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
		Special municipality of the Netherlands
		Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
		Overseas country of France
		Overseas territory of France
		Autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark
		Special collectivity of France
		Special municipality of the Netherlands
		Overseas collectivity of France
		Special municipality of the Netherlands
		Overseas collectivity of France
		Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
		Overseas collectivity of France

Former members

Member	Location	Status
		British Overseas Territory
		British Overseas Territory
		British Overseas Territory
		British Overseas Territory
		British Overseas Territory
		British Overseas Territory
		British Overseas Territory
		British Overseas Territory
		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:^[11]

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

See also

• European Union
• Special member state territories and the European Union

External links

• Official website
• Founding document (27 November 2001)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the European Union – Vision. weadapt.org. 10 April 2014. 12 October 2017.
2. Web site: Les PTOM. www.octassociation.org. 2018-03-12.
3. Web site: OCTs . Overseas Countries and Territories Association . 2021-09-17.
4. Book: Future relations between the EU and the Overseas Countries and Territories. 25 May 2008. Commission of the European Commities. Brussels. 17. 11 October 2017. 26 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126033226/http://www.octassociation.org/IMG/pdf/green_paper_2008.pdf. dead.
5. Web site: OCTA Presentation . Overseas Countries and Territories Association . 2021-09-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171027003853/http://www.octassociation.org/octa-presentation . 27 October 2017. dead.
6. Web site: About the Overseas Countries and Territories Association . OCTA . 2022-07-25.
7. Web site: Former Chairs . octassociation.org . https://web.archive.org/web/20200922155423/https://octassociation.org/-former-chairs-?lang=en . 22 September 2020 . dead.
8. Web site: Current Chair - Curaçao . octassociation.org . https://web.archive.org/web/20191229071305/http://www.octassociation.org/-current-chair-aruba-?lang=en . 29 December 2019 . dead.
9. Web site: OCTA Ministerial Conference 2020 . OCTA . 8 December 2020 . 2022-07-25.
10. Web site: Louis Mapou : New OCTA Chair . OCTA . 20 July 2021 . 2022-07-25.
11. Web site: Political dialogue EU–OCT–MS – Annual Forum. octassociation.org. 2019-01-08.