CKAIR discusses EU funding access and climate adaptation with European lawmakers

Parliament’s Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Interparliamentary Relations, chaired by MP Sjamira Roseburg, met with Members of the European Parliament Marit Maij and Mohammed Chahim on Tuesday 27 October. The talks covered Sint Maarten’s access to European Union funding, climate adaptation legislation and representation in European institutions.

Maij and Chahim, who represent the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament, were on a two-day working visit to Sint Maarten on 26 and 27 October. They were accompanied by external adviser Kenville Kleinmoedig, whose work includes European Union and Overseas Countries and Territories matters.

The committee discussed difficulties Sint Maarten faces in using EU programmes, as well as possible targeted funding arrangements and programming suited to the country’s circumstances and implementation capacity. No funding commitments or specific legislative agreements were publicly announced.

Sint Maarten is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and has an Overseas Country and Territory relationship with the European Union. The meeting also addressed direct parliamentary dialogue with European representatives on issues affecting Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories.