Collaborating with the EU
The Cabinet of the Special Envoy plays an important role in advancing the interests of the Dutch Caribbean within the EU. We work to bring the BES-islands closer to Europe and ensure they benefit from EU cooperation. Currently various funds -known as the horizontal funds- are available for the Dutch Caribbean. However, these funds are underutilized. The Cabinet of the Special Envoy assists the islands in developing funding proposals and ensures that island residents can benefit from these resources.
About
The European Union (EU) is a collaboration of 27 countries, including the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aiming for peace, stability and prosperity through shared values, policies, and legislation. When a country is a member of the EU, it gains access to funds and programs for economic development, sustainability, and other policy areas. Although the Kingdom of the Netherlands currently makes limited use of these opportunities for the islands, there are opportunities for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom to access these funds. Especially if we jointly address this to the EU from both the islands and the Netherlands.
An essential part of this collaboration is the so-called ‘horizontal funds’ of the European Union. These funds provide financial support and technical assistance to projects in various areas, including regional sustainable development, climate challenges, connectivity, employment, education, and innovation. The horizontal funds align with the strategic programs of the European Union, including the Green Deals and the Global Gateway.
