Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

Communauté des Caraïbes
Comunidad del Caribe

Founded

1973-07-04 Chaguaramas Trinidad-Tobago

History

Established 4 Jul 1973, Chaguaramas (Trinidad-Tobago), on signature of T-XT7373 - Treaty of Chaguaramas by Prime Ministers of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Tobago. Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Lucia and St Vincent became members in May 1974; and Antigua and St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla in Jul 1974. Bahamas became member of the Community, but not the Common Market, in Jul 1983. Suriname became Full member, 4-7 Jul 1995. Haiti became the 15th Full member on deposit of an instrument of accession, 3 Jul 2002. Associate membership granted to: Virgin Is UK, Jul 1991; Turks-Caicos, Jul 1991; Anguilla, Jul 1988; Cayman Is, 16 May 2002; Bermuda, 2 Jul 2003. Neth Antilles is currently seeking an interest in closer cooperation with CARICOM through observer status in the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) and the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

CARICOM replaces and extends the work of previous attempts at regional integration, namely of H-XH0326 - British West Indies Federation (1958-1962) and of H-XH2507 - Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA). The independent U-XE3013 - West Indian Commission recommended considerable changes, proposed enhancement of activities of the Council of Ministers and advised development of D-XD4036 - Association of Caribbean States (ACS), to include all countries of the Caribbean Basin. In the context of a revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, CARICOM member governments would subscribe to a 'CARICOM Charter of Civil Society' covering wider issues than economic circumstances. A multi-disciplinary intergovernmental task force was set up to oversee revision of the Treaty in order to make F-XF5457 - CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) a reality. Heads of Government reaffirmed the benefit to the entire region of the ACS, 5-8 Jul 1993, Nassau (Bahamas). T-XT0125 - Treaty of Chaguaramas - Revised, signed Jul 2001, Georgetown (Guyana), paved the way for implementation of the new Treaty provisions and the subsequent establishment of the CSME. The 13th Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM leaders, 2001, Belize, approved programmes for the removal of restrictions on the right of establishment, the provision of services and the movement of capital as required by member states in fulfillment of obligations under Protocol II; these came into effect on 1 Mar 2002. Member states have committed to remove all other restrictions by 2005, thus completing the Single Market for goods, services, capital and significant movement of persons.

Aims

Improve standards of living and work; work towards full employment of labour and other factors of production; accelerate, coordinate and sustain economic development and convergence; expand trade and economic relations with third states; enhance levels of international competitiveness; organize increased production and productivity; achieve a greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness of Member States in dealing with third states, groups of states and entities of any description; enhance coordination of Member States' foreign and economic policies and enhance functional cooperation, including more efficient cooperation of common services and activities for the benefit of its people, accelerated promotion of greater understanding among its people and the advancement of their social, cultural and technological development, and intensified activities in areas such as health, education, transportation and telecommunications.

Events

Activities

Structure

Governance set out in establishing 1793 and revised 2002 Treaties.

Decision-making/Principal Bodies: Conference of Heads of Government (The Conference) as supreme organ, with Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government as Sub-Committee; Community Council of Ministers (The Council). Assisted by: Organs (5); Bodies (4). Organs (5): Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP); Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR); Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD); Council for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE); Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). Bodies (4): Budget Committee; Committee of Central Bank Governors; Legal Affairs Committee; CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors. Quasi Cabinet, comprising Heads of Government.

CARICOM Secretariat (CCS), as principal Administrative Organ. Includes Offices; Directorates; Other Unites and Special Projects. Offices (4): Secretary-General; Deputy Secretary-General; General Counsel; Trade Negotiations. Directorates (3): Foreign and Community Relations; Human and Social Development, including responsibility for F-XF2530 - Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (CARIFESTA); Trade and Economic Integration. Other Unit: PANCAP Coordinating Unit - coordinating arm of E-XF6814 - Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP).

/Institutions/ Entities established by or under the auspices of the Community and recognized as Institutions of the Community:

• E-XE3268 - Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI);
• D-XM6099 - Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA);
• F-XM6100 - Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS);
• D-XM6103 - Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE);
• E-XE4838 - Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD);
• E-XM3130 - Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC);
• F-XF3668 - Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ);
• F-XF5108 - Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA);
• D-XD5631 - Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC);
• E-XE8645 - Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH);
• D-XD5659 - Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO);
• E-XJ1503 - Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA);
• F-XJ7911 - Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM);
• D-XD2107 - Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU);
• E-XM6106 - CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC);
• F-XM6107 - CARICOM Development Fund (CDF);
• D-XM2218 - CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS);
• E-XE4243 - CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ).

/Associate Institutions/ - specialized operating bodies, each of which has its independent charter or legal instrument dictating its structure, mode of operation and lines of authority:

• F-XF4023 - Caribbean Development Bank (CDB);
• F-XF1502 - Caribbean Law Institute (CLI) and Caribbean Law Institute Centre (CLIC);
• University of Guyana;
• F-XF7988 - University of the West Indies (UWI).

/Functional Cooperation Institutions/:

• F-XK1031 - Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export);
• D-XM6108 - Caribbean Regional Information and Translation Institute (CRITI);
• D-XD1294 - Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO);
• D-XD5213 - Council of Legal Education (CLE).
• F-XF4117 - Forum of Caribbean States (CARIFORUM).

Languages

Staff

Finance

Relations with Inter-Governmental Organizations

Publications

Members

Type I Classification

Type II Classification

Subjects ^*

UN Sustainable Development Goals ^**

UIA Org ID

XD4579