EU-Caribbean: EPA Review, Loss & Damage Fund Opens, Cuba Sanctions Clash With Washington
CARIFORUM-EU EPA: Implementation Review Continues
The CARIFORUM-EU EPA remains the primary trade framework. The 14th Meeting of National EPA Coordinators convened 28 January 2026 to assess trade-in-goods commitments. CARIFORUM States engaged with the EU Joint Working Group on Simplification of Rules of Origin in September 2025, addressing a persistent friction point. While EU markets are fully open to CARIFORUM exports, Caribbean states retain 15-25 year asymmetric liberalization timelines.
Global Gateway: Caribbean Digital and Climate Investments
The EUR 45 billion EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda includes Caribbean-relevant deliverables: the BELLA submarine fibre-optic cable expansion reaching the Caribbean in 2026; a EUR 22.5 million Hispasat satellite initiative covering the Dominican Republic; and a sargassum-to-green-jobs initiative in Grenada and the Dominican Republic targeting 660,000 tonnes annually. The EU and IFC signed a EUR 291 million guarantee agreement in April 2025.
Loss & Damage Fund: Caribbean Window Opens
The Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage established the Barbados Implementation Modalities — a USD 250 million grant facility for 2025-2026 with minimum 50% allocation to SIDS and LDCs. A workshop on 12-13 May 2026 in Bridgetown brought together focal points from 15 eligible Caribbean countries, with submission deadline set for 15 June 2026.
EU Response to Haiti: EUR 591.5M Since 1994
Haiti remains the largest recipient of EU humanitarian aid in LAC, with EUR 591.5 million disbursed since 1994. The EU allocated EUR 35.9 million in 2025 and EUR 23 million initially for 2026, including EUR 21.5 million emergency aid in November 2025 and EUR 19.5 million budget support in February 2025. OCHA estimates 6.4 million Haitians require emergency assistance in 2026.
Anti-Money Laundering: AMLA and Caribbean De-Risking
The EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) assumed all AML/CFT mandates on 1 January 2026. In December 2025, the Commission added the British Virgin Islands to the EU high-risk third-country list — a significant development for Caribbean financial services. Caribbean jurisdictions on the FATF grey list continue to face correspondent banking withdrawal.
Samoa Agreement: Post-Cotonou Implementation
The Samoa Agreement entered provisional application in January 2024. The 11th OACPS Summit is scheduled 27-29 March 2026 in Malabo. The Caribbean Protocol places greater emphasis on governance, environmental sustainability, and social development compared to Cotonou.
EU vs US on Cuba: Extraterritorial Sanctions Clash
The EU opposes the US embargo on Cuba. Tensions escalated on 1 May 2026 when President Trump issued an IEEPA executive order authorizing sanctions on non-US persons conducting Cuba-related transactions. This directly threatens EU operators and intensifies the conflict between US extraterritoriality and the EU Blocking Regulation (Council Regulation 2271/96).