THE HAGUE – Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Van den Brug has informed the Second Chamber that the Netherlands and the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom are pushing the European Union to simplify access to European funding programs for Caribbean islands.
In his report to Parliament following the OCT-EU Forum in Aruba, Van den Brug stated that the Netherlands emphasized the strategic importance of the Caribbean territories within the European Union and called for more practical support mechanisms for small island jurisdictions.
According to the letter, the Dutch government advocated four key priorities during discussions with the European Commission:
- strengthening the EU’s strategic partnership with the Caribbean territories;
- developing separate funding calls specifically tailored for small island jurisdictions;
- simplifying access to broader EU funding instruments;
- and expanding technical assistance to help Caribbean territories prepare and implement projects.
Van den Brug informed Parliament that Caribbean territories continue facing difficulties accessing so-called “horizontal funds” due to complex application procedures and administrative requirements.
The report notes that the Netherlands referred to earlier experiences with the EU’s “Clean Energy for EU Islands” program as an example of how targeted support and roadmaps can improve project implementation and funding success.
During the related Investment Conference, discussions focused extensively on blended financing models involving the European Investment Bank and European Commission guarantees, allowing public and private financing to be combined for regional projects.
According to the state secretary, the discussions are particularly important ahead of the European Union’s next Multiannual Financial Framework covering the 2028-2034 budget period.
Van den Brug also stressed in the parliamentary update that the Netherlands already invests substantially in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom through regional development deals and renewable energy funding mechanisms such as SDE++ programs.