Council of Ministers
-2/3may: COREPER II
-3 may: COREPER I
ACP Group
- 2/3 May: Development Strategy for Services Sector in ACP countries
- 3 may:  ACP Sugar Committee
-4 may S/C: on Political, Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs
-4 may:  62nd meeting on the ACP-EU Committee of Ambassador
Research events
- 6/11 May: 10th meeting of the International Resource Panel

You can also read our newspaper “CTA Brussels Daily” (fed by our Twitter account), follow our new Facebook group CTABrussels and our Twitter account CTABrussels to receive up-to-date information on EU-ACP events.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) were recognized as a distinct group of developing countries facing specific social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992. But why are they more vulnerable to external shocks than other developing countries? Do partnership mechanisms help improve the effectiveness of their national policies?  Cheick Sidi Diarra, UN Under Secretary General and High Representative for the LDCs, Land Locked Developing Countries and SIDS, answers these and other questions.   Speaking of the International Community, he states that SIDS "need measures to be taken by development partners."

How does one “green” an economy? For governments seeking a cleaner, more efficient, and ultimately more sustainable pathway to economic prosperity, this question entails both promise and great challenges. The Green Growth Investment Forum (GGIF) aims at gathering potential investors and policy makers in the Caribbean and create awareness in Europe of the specific development realities and challenges facing the small islands of the OECS. The participants will comprise investors in the area of “green economy” in the Caribbean and private sector representatives who use green technologies or are interested in developing these technologies within their companies. Major deliverables of the Forum are the proposal for a Green Award for enterprises who produce based on sustainable and environment-friendly criteria; the need for the exploration surrounding the development of a technical and regulatory (legislative) framework to allow for more effective implementation of a green economy in the Eastern Caribbean; and the way forward for joint energy policy formulation in the OECS, with regulated exchange of information and technology with neighboring territories. This meeting will be organized by OECS in collaboration with CTA and will take place in Saint Lucia in July 2012.
More information will be available at brusselsbriefings in the coming weeks.

In the opinion of Jolita Butkeviciene, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Directorate General for EuropeAid Development and Cooperation (DEVCO),  Guyana has pulled ahead of its Caribbean neighbours in the implementation of aspects of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Her statements came following her visit to Guyana alongside a team to assess country’s cooperation with the EU. She was also accompanied by the head of the Delegation of the EU to Guyana, Ambassador Robert Kopecky, and  met with President Donald Ramotar.

As there is a degree of opposition regarding certain issues to be discussed at the upcoming sustainable development conference in Rio de Janeiro, the EU will be facing a challenge in achieving its goals. According to an article published by EurActiv, the EU aims to make a green economy based on sustainable growth one of its pillars, as well as further empower the UN Environment Programme and other UN agencies regarding the supervision and enforcement of treaties.