ORANJESTAD – Many European Union programs are not designed with small island territories in mind, creating barriers to access for Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, according to Eric van der Burg.
Speaking at the OCT-EU Forum, Van der Burg said that existing systems often assume a level of administrative capacity that smaller territories simply do not have.
He noted that while funding opportunities exist in areas such as energy transition, digital infrastructure, and connectivity, the application processes are often too complex for smaller governments with limited resources.
As a result, territories like Curaçao, Bonaire, and Sint Maarten may miss out on opportunities that are theoretically available to them.
Van der Burg called for a more hands-on approach, including earlier collaboration and better alignment between EU priorities and local needs.
He stressed that improving the effectiveness of these programs is crucial to ensuring that development initiatives reach the communities they are intended to support.