Europe and its constituency in the Overseas Countries and Territories
Europe is more than just the European continent. Many EU Member states remain connected to their overseas countries and territories such as the Kingdom of the Netherlands and its Caribbean constituency. We aim to bring the voice of our people overseas to Brussels, the heart of European decision-making.
With over 450 million citizens, the EU is a large political union of various European Member states. The Union of values is unique with a diverse constituency and economy. However, many do not know that OCTs are a fundamental part of our union. Nevertheless, for a long time, our OCTs have been regarded are insignificant.
We decided this could not be the case any longer and took their voice to the European Parliament to show them we are here, together. Our OCTs are a hub of dedicated, hardworking, and passionate people that are innovative. At the same time, our constituency outside the European Continent is among the first to experience climate change of all European Citizens. The rising sea levels, threatened ecosystems, dying coral reefs, and economic losses as a consequence, have put our people in the OCT at the forefront of the fight against climate change.
While the war in Ukraine has been predominantly a war on the European continent, our citizens overseas feel the effects too. It is therefore important to keep looking back at them more often to make sure they get the support they need and deserve as our citizens on the continent. Our constituency can be of great help to bring attention to the issues we face on the continent as they are also our voice and face on the other side of the ocean, where certain issues might be less predominant.
As increasing prices, climate change, and geopolitical issues seem to be closer to us, we tend to forget we have a touch and feel with other parts of the world through our OCTs. They remind us that some of the issues the continent faces are closer to home than we might think. The refugee crisis is also present in the OCTs as instability and autocratic regimes force people to leave their homes, building pressure on the EU from different sides. These situations require a progressive, open-minded and unified approach in which we solve problems through the power of our diversity and unity.
We believe that the more we look back at each other, the more speak to each other, and the better we will be able to tackle many issues ahead of us on the road. For that to happen, it is essential to include all parts of the EU in our decision-making.
Follow this page for more information on how we will try and connect the European continent with the OCTs. Feel free to reach out to us to share your ideas and vision on how we can better bridge the gap together. Your voice matters, no matter where you are!