Text · Report parliamentary committee draft
On the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision (EU) 2021/1764 on the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories with the European Union including relations between the European Union on the one hand, and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other
Full title
On the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision (EU) 2021/1764 on the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories with the European Union including relations between the European Union on the one hand, and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other
Document DEVE-PR-782513 · COM(2025)0599 – C100248/2025 – 2025/0264(CNS)
- Kind
- Report parliamentary committee draft DEVE-PR-782513
- Date
- 4 May 2026
- Committee
- Committee on Development
- Rapporteur
- Barry Andrews
- Dossier
- 2025-0264
More facts (3)
- Formats
- Official page PDF Word
- Subject matter
- PTOM, CDEV, EXT
- Reference
- COM(2025)0599 – C100248/2025 – 2025/0264(CNS)
In short
A summary of the text written by AI; ¶ opens the paragraph it rests on.
AI: In short Written by AI from the official text — check the source · deepseek-flash · 25 Sept 2026
The Committee on Development's draft report approves the Commission proposal to amend Decision (EU) 2021/1764 on the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories with the EU, including Greenland and Denmark, as amended. The amendments add new recitals on Global Gateway, the European Competitiveness Fund, resilience, self-determination, critical raw materials and ocean governance, and change articles on dialogue, non-governmental actors, the OCTs-EU Forum, disaster prevention, youth, trade and financing. It calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, on the Council to notify Parliament if it departs from the approved text, and to consult Parliament again if it substantially amends the proposal.
Position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament approve the Commission proposal as amended, with amendments reinforcing democratic accountability and consultation, reflecting the increased geopolitical relevance of the partnership, and broadening social, economic and strategic opportunities for people in the OCTs.
Key points
- Parliament approves the Commission proposal as amended and asks the Commission to change its proposal in line with Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
- The Council must notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the approved text, and consult Parliament again if it substantially amends the proposal.
- New recitals say the Decision and its governance should support proper decision-making by the budgetary authority and parliamentary oversight, with the Programme's internal architecture reflected in budget lines.
- Global Gateway should support the sustainable development goals, rely on reciprocity and demonstrable mutual benefit, and its projects not meeting OECD-DAC criteria for Official Development Assistance should be funded through the European Competitiveness Fund.
- Communication activities should target the OCTs to raise awareness of Global Gateway, which should help diversify their economies through transport, healthcare, climate adaptation, clean energy and digital connectivity investments.
- Global Gateway in the OCTs should include capacity-building and technical assistance, and OCT participation in other Union programmes such as the European Competitiveness Fund should be facilitated and reviewed at each OCT-EU Forum.
- The Union should support OCT resilience, trusted connectivity, regional cooperation and democratic governance against external interference, and recognise and defend the right to self-determination of Greenland and the other OCTs.
- The OCTs should be shielded from undue external pressure on critical raw materials, with mining based on high human rights and environmental standards including Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative requirements, and local benefits in jobs, infrastructure and fiscal revenues.
- The association should facilitate OCT participation in international ocean governance, the European Ocean Pact and the BBNJ Agreement, and cooperation should cover oceans and intercontinental seabed and satellite connectivity.
- Articles are amended to add peaceful and inclusive societies to the principles, to enhance ties with Greenland and other OCTs, and to broaden dialogue to elected representatives, national parliaments and the European Parliament.
- Non-governmental actors may take part in preparing and implementing cooperation and voicing civil society concerns, and the OCTs-EU Forum should meet at least every two years with more participants.
- The indicative financial envelope for 2028-2034 is set at EUR [number from the European Parliament interim report] in current and 2025 prices, and funding thresholds for action plans and special measures are lowered to EUR 1 000 000 and EUR 2 000 000.
Who is affected
- The Overseas Countries and Territories and Greenland: the amendments set rules on their association with the EU, funding and cooperation priorities.
- Denmark and France and the Netherlands: their constitutionally linked OCTs are covered by the amended Decision.
- The Commission and the Council: they are asked to alter the proposal and to notify or consult Parliament again.
- Non-governmental actors, youth and indigenous communities in the OCTs: the amendments give them roles in cooperation, dialogue and learning mobility.
- Companies and businesses of a member state: they may receive support for productive projects in an OCT only if the support meets OECD-DAC criteria for ODA and no other Union instrument could fund it.
Figures and deadlines
- EUR [number from the European Parliament interim report] in current and 2025 prices: the indicative financial envelope for the Programme for 2028-2034.
- EUR 1 000 000: the funding ceiling for action plans and individual measures under Article 82(4)(a).
- EUR 2 000 000: the funding ceiling for special and support measures under Article 82(4)(b).
- every two years: the minimum frequency for the OCTs-EU Forum.
Legal basis. Article 203 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Text
The text as parsed from the official Word file. Every paragraph has a link (¶) and can be saved to a project as a passage.
Jump to an amendment (37)
- Amendment 1
- Amendment 2
- Amendment 3
- Amendment 4
- Amendment 5
- Amendment 6
- Amendment 7
- Amendment 8
- Amendment 9
- Amendment 10
- Amendment 11
- Amendment 12
- Amendment 13
- Amendment 14
- Amendment 15
- Amendment 16
- Amendment 17
- Amendment 18
- Amendment 19
- Amendment 20
- Amendment 21
- Amendment 22
- Amendment 23
- Amendment 24
- Amendment 25
- Amendment 26
- Amendment 27
- Amendment 28
- Amendment 29
- Amendment 30
- Amendment 31
- Amendment 32
- Amendment 33
- Amendment 34
- Amendment 35
- Amendment 36
- Amendment 37
Draft european parliament legislative resolution
–having regard to Article 203 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C100248/2025),
2.Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, in accordance with Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
3.Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;
4.Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to substantially amend the Commission proposal;
5.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4a) The provisions of this Decision, as well as its governance arrangements, should be conducive to proper decision-making by the budgetary authority and to appropriate parliamentary oversight. In particular, any specification of the Programme’s internal architecture should be duly reflected in the budget nomenclature through the introduction of corresponding budget lines. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5) The implementation of the amended Decision (EU) 2021/1764 should support the Global Gateway strategy3 , the Union’s external investment strategy to advance the sustainable development goals together with partner countries and territories. Complementarities between actions under the Global Gateway strategy and its toolbox should be strengthened to help unlock investment opportunities in the OCTs and promote their more effective integration into Union’s regional cooperation frameworks. | (5) The implementation of the amended Decision (EU) 2021/1764 should support the Global Gateway strategy3 , the Union’s external investment strategy to advance the sustainable development goals together with partner countries and territories. Complementarities between actions under the Global Gateway strategy and its toolbox should be strengthened to help unlock investment opportunities in the OCTs, positively impact their safety and prosperity and promote their more effective integration into Union’s regional cooperation frameworks. |
| 3 Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - The Global Gateway (JOIN/2021/30 December 2021). | 3 Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - The Global Gateway (JOIN/2021/30 December 2021). |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5a) The OCTs remain key partners in strengthening Europe’s global presence, boosting resilience, and promoting sustainable growth. Global Gateway partnerships and investments in the OCTs should rely on reciprocity and demonstrable, concrete mutual benefit and interest. Global Gateway projects should be funded through the European Competitiveness Fund where financial support does not fulfil the OECD-DAC criteria for Official development assistance (ODA). ODA provided from the Union budget in the framework of the association of the Union with the OCTs should contribute to the primary objective of poverty eradication. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5b) There is limited awareness of Global Gateway in the OCTs which remains a major obstacle to its success, as well as limited private sector presence in the OCTs. Communication activities aiming to increase the visibility of Global Gateway should include measures targeting the OCTs. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5c) Global Gateway represents a key opportunity for the OCTs to diversify their economies by fostering sustainable investments in strategic sectors. By supporting the development of resilient transport systems, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, advancing climate adaptation and clean energy solutions, and accelerating digital connectivity, Global Gateway can help build more robust and self-sufficient local economies. Such investments not only enhance economic resilience and reduce vulnerability to external shocks, but also create quality employment, stimulate innovation, and improve overall living standards in the OCTs. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5d) The OCTs have limited institutional capacity and technical skills to access capital and blended finance mechanisms, including for securing public-private partnerships in sectors such as renewable energy, waste management, sustainable tourism, the blue economy, climate adaptation infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and social projects. EU financial guarantees and blending tools can de-risk investments and mobilise private sector engagement in those areas, but their benefits will only be fully realised where local governments and actors have the capacity to work with those more complex funding modalities. Global Gateway in the OCTs should therefore integrate dedicated capacity-building and technical assistance into its implementation. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (6a) The participation of the OCTs in other Union programmes and instruments, such as the European Competitiveness Fund, should be facilitated to pursue, in particular, objectives and activities of mutual interest, including under Global Gateway. The level of the OCTs’ participation in Union programmes should be evaluated regularly and reviewed at each OCT-EU Forum. Capacity building and training should also be provided to actors of cooperation in the OCTs to support their access to financial assistance and proper management under the association and in view of other Union programmes and instruments, including the European Competitiveness Fund. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7) The OCTs represent unique and strategic assets that benefit the Union as a whole – including proximity to third countries, exceptional conditions for space and astrophysics research, abundant renewable energy potential, rich biodiversity, extensive maritime zones, and availability of mineral resources. The European Competitiveness Fund should leverage their potential as geostrategic outposts, particularly in support of the Union’s objectives on security, preparedness, regional value chains, and competitiveness. | (7) The OCTs represent unique and strategic assets that benefit the Union as a whole – including proximity to third countries, exceptional conditions for space and astrophysics research, abundant renewable energy potential, rich biodiversity, extensive maritime zones, and availability of mineral resources. The European Competitiveness Fund should allow the OCTs and their local communities and companies to leverage their potential as economic nodes and poles of trusted connectivity and to support the Union’s objectives on security, preparedness, regional value chains, and competitiveness. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7a) The special relationship between the Union and the OCTs has grown into a reciprocal partnership to support the OCTs’ sustainable economic and human development based on shared values and common goals. The global context calls for a strengthening and enhancement of the existing ties and even closer relations between the Union, on the one hand, and the OCTs, on the other. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7b) The increasingly challenging geopolitical context for the OCTs and the Union, as well as growing external interference from third countries, requires an enhanced focus on and support for resilience, stability, trusted connectivity, regional cooperation and democratic governance, while ensuring the protection of strategic interests and their continued alignment with the values and objectives of the Union. The Union should leverage ties with the OCTs for the Union's outreach and promote the OCTs as regional nodes and champions for common values, and position the OCTs and the Union as champions of international cooperation and positive relations with neighbouring countries. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7c) Countering hybrid threats against the EU and the OCTs requires social resilience and the participation of a vibrant civil society in public life, including in OCT-EU cooperation, whereby specific attention should be given to the participation of OCT local indigenous communities. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7d) The Union and its Member States recognise and defend the right to self-determination of Greenland and of the other OCTs as guaranteed by international law. The Union and its Member States support the OCTs in making their own autonomous choices in that regard and support them to withstand external interference, pressure, threats or attempts to change their status by the use of force of any kind. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8a) The OCTs having to comply with the obligations imposed on third countries to access the internal market – in particular rules of origin, health and plant health standards and safeguard measures – results in a continued need for tailored support and technical assistance and other appropriate measures with a view to enabling the OCTs to meet constantly evolving obligations and rules, to access and integrate into sustainable supply chains, and to enhance their capacities to compete with economic operators based in the internal market or those based in third countries. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8b) Critical raw materials are essential for the green transition and their diversified sourcing is of the utmost importance for the Union's strategic autonomy. The OCTs and their resident citizens should be shielded from undue external pressure regarding the use, exploitation and exportation of critical raw materials and other natural resources present on their territories, and the Union should support the OCTs in autonomously deciding on, and consenting to, their use and related investment decisions, while ensuring that the benefits derived from those resources provide local value in terms of employment, infrastructure, and fiscal revenues and that their mining will be based on the highest human rights and environmental standards, including adherence to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative requirements and standards. The Union should promote the development of sustainable raw material value chains by supporting local processing, recycling, and circular economy approaches within the OCTs, thereby enhancing resilience, reducing the environmental impact, and maximising long-term socio-economic benefits for local communities. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8c) The association should aim to facilitate the OCTs’ participation in international ocean governance instruments and bodies, the implementation of the European Ocean Pact, and the OCTs’ participation in the implementation of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (1a) Article 3(3) is replaced by the following: | |
| 3. In implementing this Decision, the partners shall be guided by the principles of transparency, subsidiarity and the need for efficiency and shall equally address the three pillars of OCTs’ sustainable development, implementing the 2030 Agenda across all its internal and external policies in a comprehensive and strategic approach: economic development, cultural and social development and nature and environmental protection. Gender equality and the rights of girls and women should be mainstreamed into all actions as a key contribution to the successful achievement of the SDGs. | ‘3. In implementing this Decision, the partners shall be guided by the principles of transparency, subsidiarity and the need for efficiency and shall equally address the three pillars of OCTs’ sustainable development, implementing the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs across all its internal and external policies in a comprehensive and strategic approach: economic development, cultural and social development and nature and environmental protection, as well as promoting peaceful and inclusive societies where people feel safe and are free of all forms of violence, have access to justice and are able to trust in effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Gender equality and the rights of girls and women should be mainstreamed into all actions as a key contribution to the successful achievement of the SDGs.’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (1b) Article 3(4) is replaced by the following: | |
| 4. The general objective of this Decision is to promote the economic and social development of the OCTs and to establish close economic relations between them and the Union as a whole. The association shall pursue this general objective by enhancing the OCTs’ competitiveness, strengthening the OCTs’ resilience, reducing their economic and environmental vulnerability and by promoting cooperation between them and other partners. Furthermore, the aim of this Decision is to preserve the existing ties between the Union on the one hand, and Greenland and Denmark on the other, acknowledging the geostrategic position of Greenland in the Arctic, and to preserve existing ties between the Union and the other OCTs, acknowledging their geostrategic positions in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic and the Pacific. | ‘4. The general objective of this Decision is to promote the economic and social development of the OCTs and to establish close economic relations between them and the Union as a whole. The association shall pursue this general objective by enhancing the OCTs’ competitiveness, strengthening the OCTs’ resilience, administrative capacities, reducing their economic and environmental vulnerability and by promoting cooperation between them and other partners. Furthermore, the aim of this Decision is to enhance the existing ties between the Union on the one hand, and Greenland and Denmark on the other, acknowledging increased geopolitical competition and the geostrategic position of Greenland in the Arctic, and to enhance existing ties between the Union and the other OCTs, acknowledging their geostrategic positions in the Caribbean, the Indo-Pacific, the Atlantic and Oceania.’ |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) to support and to cooperate with Greenland in addressing its major challenges such as the raising of its education level and economic diversification, and to contribute to the capacity of the administration of Greenland to formulate and implement national policies.; | (b) to support and to cooperate with Greenland in addressing its major challenges such as the improvement of education and skills levels, economic diversification, trusted and reliable connectivity, infrastructure for sustainable tourism, climate change and to contribute to the capacity of the administration of Greenland to formulate and implement national policies.; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (e) the sustainable management of natural resources, including raw materials, as well as the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services;; | (e) the management of natural resources, including raw materials, in ways which are environmentally and socially sustainable and which contribute to decarbonisation targets, as well as the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services; |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ba) point (i) is replaced by the following: | |
| (i) digital accessibility; | ‘(i) digital connectivity and accessibility;’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (3a) Article 6(1) is replaced by the following: | |
| 1. With an aim to strengthen their mutual relations, the Union and the OCTs shall endeavour to make the association known among their citizens, in particular by promoting the development of the links and cooperation between the authorities, academic community, civil society and businesses of OCTs on the one hand and their interlocutors within the Union on the other. | ‘1. With an aim to strengthen their mutual relations, the Union, the Member States and the OCTs shall endeavour to make the association known among their citizens, in particular by promoting the development of the links and cooperation between the authorities, academic community, civil society and businesses of OCTs on the one hand and their counterparts within the Union on the other.’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (3b) Article 10(1) is replaced by the following: | |
| 1. The association shall be based on a broad dialogue and consultations on issues of mutual interest between the OCTs, the Member States to which they are linked and the Commission, and, if appropriate, the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as other Union institutions and bodies. | ‘1. The association shall be based on a broad dialogue and consultations on issues of mutual interest between the OCTs and their elected representatives, the Member States to which they are linked, including their national parliaments, the European Parliament, the Commission, and, if appropriate, the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as other Union institutions and bodies.’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (3c) Article 12 is amended as follows: | |
| (a) the title is replaced by the following: | |
| Responsibilities of the non-governmental actors | ‘Role of the non-governmental actors’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: | |
| 1. Non-governmental actors may play a role in the exchange of information and consultations concerning the cooperation, and in particular for the preparation and implementation of cooperation assistance, projects or programmes. They may receive a delegation of financial management powers for implementing such projects or programmes for the purpose of supporting local development initiatives. | ‘1. Non-governmental actors may play a role in the preparation and implementation of cooperation assistance, projects or programmes, and in the dissemination and exchange of information, as well as voicing citizen and civil society concerns on issues of mutual interest and programmes covered by the association, including in defining multi-annual indicative programmes, including by means of public consultations. They may receive a delegation of financial management powers for implementing such projects or programmes for the purpose of supporting local development initiatives.’ |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) an OCTs-EU forum for dialogue (the ‘OCTs-EU Forum’), which shall meet every two years to bring together OCTs’ authorities, representatives of the Member States and the Commission. Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the EIB and representatives of the outermost regions shall, where appropriate, be associated with the OCTs-EU Forum; | (a) an OCTs-EU forum for dialogue (the ‘OCTs-EU Forum’), which shall meet at least every two years to bring together OCTs’ authorities, representatives of the Member States, the European Parliament, and the Commission. Representatives of the EIB and representatives of the outermost regions, local and regional authorities, as well as civil society organisations, indigenous peoples, shall, where appropriate, be associated with the OCTs-EU Forum; |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4a) in Article 15(1), the introductory part is replaced by the following: | |
| In the framework of the association, cooperation in the field of nature, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction may concern: | ‘In the framework of the association, cooperation in the field of nature, environment, climate change, oceans, and disaster risk reduction may concern:’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4b) Article 25 is amended as follows: | |
| (a) point (c) is replaced by the following: | |
| (c) the strengthening of existing measures of disaster prevention and preparation at local, national and regional levels; | ‘(c) the strengthening of existing measures of disaster prevention and preparation at local, national, as well as inter-OCT and bilateral regional levels;’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) point (h) is replaced by the following: | |
| (h) the promotion of the participation of the OCTs in regional, European and international instances in order to allow a more regular exchange of information and closer cooperation among the different partners in the event of a disaster. | ‘(h) the promotion of bilateral cooperation among the OCTs and with their neighbours and the participation of the OCTs in regional, European and international instances in order to allow a more regular exchange of information and closer cooperation among the different partners in the event of a disaster.’ |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4c) in Article 26(2), the following point is added: | |
| "(da) intercontinental seabed and satellite-based connectivity." |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4d) Article 32 is amended as follows: | |
| Article 32 | ‘Article 32 |
| Youth | Youth |
| The association aims to strengthen the ties between young people living in the OCTs and the Union, including by promoting learning mobility of OCTs youth and by fostering mutual understanding among young people. | The association aims to strengthen the ties between young people living in the OCTs and the Union, including by promoting their participation in activities and projects under the association across different areas of mutual interest and by supporting or providing learning mobility of OCTs youth and by fostering mutual understanding and encounters involving young people from the OCTs and from across continental Europe.’ |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4e) in Article 33(1), the following point is added: | |
| ‘(ba) non-formal and informal learning.’ |
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4f) in Article 69(1), point (a) is replaced by the following: | |
| (a) increasing the OCTs’ competitiveness, self-reliance and economic resilience, through diversifying the range and increasing the value and volume of OCTs trade in goods and services and by strengthening the OCTs’ ability to attract private investments in various sectors of economic activity; | ‘(a) increasing the OCTs’ competitiveness, self-reliance and economic resilience, through diversifying the range and increasing the value and volume of OCTs trade in goods and services and by strengthening the OCTs’ ability to attract private investments, including through leveraging private capital to mobilise additional resources and expertise, in various sectors of economic activity;’ |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. The indicative financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period 2028-2034 shall be EUR 999 000 000 in current prices. | 1. The indicative financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period 2028-2034 is set at EUR [number from the European Parliament interim report, in current and 2025 prices]. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. The Commission shall adopt, under this Decision, multiannual indicative programmes as referred to in Article 15 of Regulation (EU)…/… [Global Europe]. | 1. Following consultation of the actors identified in accordance with Articles 11 and 12, the Commission shall adopt, under this Decision, multiannual indicative programmes as referred to in Article 15 of Regulation (EU)…/… [Global Europe]. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) actions plans and individual measure for which the Union’s funding does not exceed EUR 2 000 000; | (a) actions plans and individual measure for which the Union’s funding does not exceed EUR 1 000 000; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) special and support measures for which the Union’s funding does not exceed EUR 5 000 000.; | (b) special and support measures for which the Union’s funding does not exceed EUR 2 000 000.; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8a) in Article 83(2), point (c) is replaced by the following: | |
| (c) companies and businesses of a Member State, so as to enable them, in addition to their own contribution, to undertake productive projects in the territory of an OCT; | ‘(c) companies and businesses of a Member State, so as to enable them, in addition to their own contribution, to undertake productive projects in the territory of an OCT, provided that the financial support fulfils the OECD-DAC criteria for ODA and that the project could not be supported under other Union instruments such as the European Competitiveness Fund;’ |
Back matter, 1
Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.
Explanatory statement 18 blocks
As part of the preparation of the EU's next long-term budget, or 'Multi-annual Financial Framework' (MFF), the Commission has proposed a limited set of revisions of the Decision on the EU-Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), including Greenland (DOAG). This Council Decision, adopted in 2021 is the legal instrument underlying the association of the OCTs with the Union in line with the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) – Part Four. Article 203 TFEU empowers the Council to adopt the provisions and rules for the EU association of the OCTs through the special legislative procedure, after having consulted the European Parliament.
The thirteen Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) are EU-associated islands located in the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific, and are constitutionally linked to Denmark (Greenland), France (six OCTs) and the Netherlands (six OCTs), on which they depend to varying degrees as non-sovereign countries or territories. They are not part of the EU and its single market but are not considered to be third countries either.
DOAG, the Council Decision of 2021, provides for a funding programme for OCTs which is financed from the EU budget but is separate from NDICI-Global Europe. Since the ordinary legislative procedure does not apply to the OCT association, neither NDICI and DOAG, nor DOAG and the future Global Europe Instrument could be merged or adopted as one single package under the respective MFF.
In other words, the legal act providing the framework and legislative procedure for the EU partnership with the OCTs remains separate from the Global Europe instrument due to its distinctive legal nature and Treaty base, but a revision of DOAG is required for the financial programme under the next MFF.
This revision provides an opportunity to adapt the Association framework to other developments and changes, such as the launch of the Global Gateway Initiative in 2021, new needs and priorities and the drastically changed and increasingly tense and challenging geopolitical context - most visibly as regards to Greenland, but also as regards to geo-economic competition, disruption of global value chains, massive reductions in development assistance, challenges to maritime security, hybrid threats, global setbacks for democracy, multilateralism and the rules-based order, as well as escalating effects of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Against this backdrop, the Commission proposes to allocate an indicative financial envelope of EUR 999 million (in current prices) to the OCT association’s funding programme for 2028-2034. Compared to the current MFF, where the OCT allocations amount to EUR 510 million in current prices (excluding additional funds from the NDICI cushion and budgetary reallocations), this would amount to a doubling of the support for OCTs or a 74 % increase if calculated in 2025 constant prices. However, if one takes into account the recently announced mobilisation of an additional EUR 200 million for Greenland under the current MFF, the proposed increase is more modest, and in any case, risks being reduced in negotiations by the European Council.
Otherwise, perhaps surprisingly, the Commission proposes relatively modest or technical amendments to the Council Decision from 2021, primarily relating to (1) Global Gateway and its toolbox: allowing budget support, policy-based loans, budgetary guarantees, financial instruments, and blending as modalities to be used for cooperation with OCTs; (2) the merging of the bilateral with the regional envelopes for OCTs other than Greenland, and (3) cross-referencing and highlighting the complementarity of other EU funding programmes for which OCTs are eligible. Lastly, the Commission proposes to adjust the policy dialogue framework, but in fact the amendments seem to fall short of the stated objective of strategically enhancing dialogue with OCTs, not least by reducing the frequency of the OCTs-EU Forum.
The Commission proposal stresses that the future European Competitiveness Fund should make it possible "to accompany OCTs’ Global Gateway-related projects along the entire investment journey, from research, through scale-up, industrial deployment, to manufacturing, in addition to and/or in complementarity with DOAG".
In line with Annex VI of Parliament's Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Development is responsible for matters relating to OCTs, and as such has appointed its Chair as Rapporteur for the consultation of Parliament on the DOAG revision.
The suggestions of the Rapporteur, presented in the form of legislative amendments, either to the initial Council decision on Overseas Association, or to the Commission proposal for amending that Council Decision, seek to reinforce democratic accountability and consultation, take into account the increased geopolitical relevance of the partnership, and to broaden social and economic and strategic opportunities for the people living in the OCTs by reflecting local voices, needs, and sustainable development priorities.
The future act, as all legal bases for expenditure under the next MFF should facilitate sound decision-making by the budgetary authority, and parliamentary scrutiny. The internal architecture of EU programmes should therefore be mirrored in the EU budget nomenclature through dedicated budget lines.
The amendments by the Rapporteur stress that the EU's Global Gateway should generate reciprocal and demonstrable mutual benefit, enhance safety and prosperity, and support stronger regional integration, and diversification of OCTs economies. The Rapporteur takes the view that financial support which does not meet OECD-DAC criteria for Official Development Assistance (ODA), for instance with private sector companies, should be provided by EU instruments, notably the European Competitiveness Fund.
The suggested amendments also take into consideration the OCTs limited human resources and administrative capacities and aim to ensure that priority is given to simplified access to EU programmes, and to capacity-building and training to make best use of EU support, and of more complex modalities or requirements for capital markets, blended finance or public-private partnerships.
The Rapporteur shares the view that the current geopolitical context underlines the OCTs role as a bridge towards countries of the 'Global South', and that OCTs – provided the EU fully recognises their importance and takes appropriate measures – could serve as regional nodes and foster networks of trusted connectivity, both in terms of hard infrastructure and on a human level. At the same time, the Union must be clear that it is willing to shield OCTs from external pressure and threats, while itself fully recognising their right to self-determination.
Cooperation priorities should be updated to include ocean governance, intercontinental seabed and satellite connectivity, and digital connectivity rather than mere digital accessibility.
The draft report recognises the importance of critical raw materials for the EU's strategic autonomy and for decarbonising economic growth, yet stresses that the OCTs' right to decide on extraction and investment choices must be respected, and that the EU and the OCTs should ensure that local communities benefit through jobs, infrastructure and fiscal revenues. Mining should respect high environmental and human-rights standards, including Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative principles.
In order to strengthen the resilience of the partnership and its democratic legitimacy and participation, the report recommends adjustments to reinforce the active involvement of youth and civil society in shaping the cooperation with OCTs, not least because active citizenship at the local level as much as across borders is crucial in an age of information manipulation and targeted interference in democratic processes.
Connections
The dossier, the decisions on this text and its other versions.
No connections found for this item.
Sources & citation
Where the facts on this page come from, and how to cite it.
- Data source
- Licensed CC BY 4.0.
- Retrieved
- 25 September 2026
Cite as
European Parliament (2026). “DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision (EU) 2021/1764 on the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories with the European Union including relations between the European Union on the one hand, and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other”. Text, 4 May 2026. docId DEVE-PR-782513. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/DEVE-PR-782513 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/DEVE-PR-782513 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX
@misc{epw-text-deve-pr-782513,
author = {{European Parliament}},
title = {{DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision (EU) 2021/1764 on the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories with the European Union including relations between the European Union on the one hand, and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other}},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-05-04},
howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/DEVE-PR-782513}},
url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/DEVE-PR-782513},
urldate = {2026-09-25},
publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
note = {Text. docId DEVE-PR-782513. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}