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EU regional and urban development

Caribbean Area

Programme description

The Interreg V Caribbean cooperation programme for the period 2014-2020 focuses on cooperation between the outermost regions of Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Saint Martin, and around 40 third countries and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) in the Caribbean basin. These countries are almost all members of one of the programme's three regional economic organisation partners in the Caribbean: Association of Caribbean States (ACS), CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States).

The programme has two strands: one strand concerns cross-border cooperation between Guadeloupe, Martinique and the OECS countries, the other is a broader transnational strand relating to cooperation between Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Saint Martin and all the countries and territories that are part of the programme.

With the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and with research under way into coordination with the European Development Fund (EDF), which finances cooperation and economic development programmes in several third countries and OCTs in the Caribbean, this programme is an important tool for regional cooperation between the overseas regions of French West Indies and French Guiana and their neighbouring countries and territories.

Priority areas

The programme consists of six strategic priorities (plus technical assistance for implementing the programme): 

  • Increasing the competitiveness of enterprises by implementing joint projects at Caribbean level, involving stakeholders from research, education and business. 
  • Increasing natural hazard response capacity by improving knowledge of natural hazards and putting in place shared risk management systems, in particular by developing shared observation tools and a geographic information system (GIS) suitable for crisis management.
  • Protecting the cultural and natural environment by improving the management of vulnerable or protected spaces and by jointly developing sustainable tourism in the Caribbean. 
  • Responding to shared health issues at Caribbean level through joint pandemic prevention and management measures, in particular innovative eHealth actions. 
  • Supporting the development of renewable energies with the OECS countries.
  • Strengthening human capital by developing education in Caribbean languages (English, Spanish and French) and student and professional mobility within the Caribbean.

    • Expected results:

    • The creation of a favourable environment for the development of a flow of commerce between the territories in the area,
    • The establishment of around 20 mechanisms for observation, management and response to natural hazards in the Caribbean,
    • The development of ecotourism,
    • A reduction in HIV and vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya and leptospirosis,
    • Development of geothermal power generation capacity and an increase in the proportion of renewable energies in the electricity mix, particularly in the OECS countries and in Guadeloupe and Martinique,
    • The participation of around 3 500 people in cross-border mobility initiatives and in joint education and training programmes.

    Funds

    Regional Development Fund (ERDF): 63.056.621,00 €

    Thematic priorities

    View the data

    Financial information

    Total OP budget: 83.895.561,00 €

    Total EU contribution: 63.056.621,00 €

    View the data