The Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) has raised its voice against the blacklisting of several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states by the European Union (EU).
In a May 11 communiqué arising out of COFCOR’s 23rd meeting held virtually on the 7-8 of May, the Council stated that it “rejected the arbitrary and unilateral imposition of blacklisting” by the EU on several member states of CARICOM.
Concern was expressed over the “shifting of goal posts”, the continued lack of prior consultation or notification and the “unwillingness” to take into account the efforts at compliance made by the Member States.
The Council declared the EU’s measure as “detrimental” to the economies of the affected states which they noted are already in recession.
The Community therefore called on the EU to take into consideration the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic wellbeing of the small states of CARICOM in its policy making.
