EU-Pacific relations

EU strategy for Pacific

Strategic aims

The EU's Pacific strategy defines its relationship with 15 ACP countries and 3 Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) in the Pacific. The strategic aims are to:

strengthen political dialogue – an annual EU-Pacific Islands Forum dialogue on security, governance, economic relations and the environment was launched in 2008
focus development cooperation on economic growth and sustainability
improve the effectiveness of aid delivery – e.g. through beneficiary-led donor coordination (eg with Australia and New Zealand).

The EU-PIF enhanced political dialogue

Following the Nuku’Alofa Declaration adopted in Tonga in 2007, an enhanced political dialogue has been established between the EU and the Pacific Islands Forum. The first EU-PIF Ministerial Troika took place in Brussels in September 2008. The political dialogue covered this agenda:

1. Security and governance

Political developments in the Pacific region:

Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)
Pacific Regional Assistance to Nauru (PRAN)

Fiji

2. Economic stability, growth and international trade

WTO and EPA
Regional Integration (PICTA, PACER)

3. Environment

EU-PIF Joint Climate Change Declaration was agreed on 7 November 2008.

4. Development cooperation

Regional: Progress of 10 th European Development Fund (EDF)
Progress towards Millennium Development Goals

5. Fisheries

A Joint Communiqué was issued on that occasion.

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Financial support

At the regional level, the EU's two main priorities under the 10^th European Development Fund (EDF) 2008-13 are:

regional economic integration – € 45 M available for development of human resources, key industries and trade capacity, trade arrangements and integration into the world economy. Regional integration is seen as a way of bringing stability and development to the Pacific islands.
sustainable management of natural resources and the environment – € 40 M to support green measures, help low-lying atolls respond to rising sea-levels, combat illegal fishing and protect biodiversity, important for tourism

A further € 10 M will be available to cover participation of non-state actors and technical cooperation and support for the Regional Authorising Officer (RAO) for the EDF, i.e. the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).

Other sources of funding:

EU's national programmes for country-specific needs
EDF inter-regional funds for cross-cutting issues such as trade, gender etc
EU budget headings and stability instrument to support security and good governance
European Investment Bank and Centre for Development and Enterprise for private sector development
new Global Climate Change Alliance
EU Member States bilateral funds (eg: climate change and Aid for Trade)

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Pacific plan for Regional Integration and Cooperation

The EU's regional strategy mirrors the Pacific plan for Regional Integration and Cooperation (2005-10), adopted by the Pacific Islands Forum (where Timor Leste has special observer status).

The Plan is structured around four pillars :

Economic growth – through trade and investment, improved infrastructure and service delivery and more private sector involvement and economic partnership agreements with the EU (EPA) and key regional partners such as Australia, New Zealand (PACER) and the USA (Compact Agreements);
Sustainable development – poverty reduction, better management of resources and the environment, better healthcare, education and training services, gender equality, youth measures, sports and promotion of cultural values;
Good governance – more transparent government, accountability and fair and efficient management of resources;
Security – by improving political and social conditions for safety and security

It will work by:

setting up dialogues or processes between governments
pooling national services (e.g. customs, health, education, sport, etc.) at the regional level
lowering market barriers between countries.

Political oversight for the Pacific plan comes from the annual Forum Leaders' Meeting and the Pacific Plan Action Committee. Implementation is the responsibility of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, which is the European Commission's counterpart (RAO) in the Pacific region.

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