EU Integration in the Caribbean Region

ended

The Caribbean parts of EU-Member State the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius, are situated outside the European Union’s geographic borders but qualify for EU law purposes as Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Dutch citizens residing in these Caribbean OCTs are also EU citizens. However, these EU citizens find themselves in areas which either do not entirely fall within the territorial scope of EU law, or where EU law applies with restriction. All in all, the application of the EU law in the OCTs is far from clear. So far, EU Integration in the Caribbean Region (EUinCARIB) has not been addressed at the University of Curaçao (UoC) while there is an increasing need to gain insights on this subject. In order to fill in this gap, this course will clarify the implications on EUinCARIB and generate EU knowledge and insights that can strengthen the role of the EU in the Caribbean Region whilst promoting and enhancing a stronger Europe in the world. The module is set up as a summer course in Curaçao (UoC) with a preparatory e-learning session and seeks to enhance teaching excellence and promoting research in the field, with particular emphasis on the EUinCARIB: ACP-Agreement and CARIFORUM-EPA, EU values and EU priority (Green Deal-climate change, blue economy and fair taxation). The course aims at disseminating EUinCARIB knowledge to higher education students, post-graduates, practitioners, civil society and policymakers enhancing awareness of the EU-OCT partnership. The outcomes will be shared by open access publications, a webinar and conferences in the Dutch and French OCTs. Close collaboration with ‘Europe Direct Curaçao’, the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTA) and l’Université des Antilles will ensure that the insights of EUinCARIB will be shared with a wide public and the OCT community. EUinCARIB will be the first Jean Monnet Module at a higher education institution in Curaçao.