3. Análisis de la situación actual del comercio electrónico en España
3.2. Análisis sectorial del comercio electrónico en España
Evaluation Question 1: Relevance & Internal Coherence of Support
EQ 1 To what extent has the EC cooperation with the OCTs been consistent with
the OCT and EU policy objectives and the needs of the OCT population? Justification and
Comment
The EC cooperation with OCTs covers very different OCTs, with special relations to four EU Members States, through a diversity of cooperation instruments. It is essential for the evaluation to assess the consistency with which the EC cooperation responds to the inherent challenges of this construction in relation to the overall EC and OCT priorities. The answer will be of interest also to the future development of the OCT-EC relations.
While the overall objective of the EC’s cooperation is to promote the economic and social development of the OCTs, the cooperation has developed historically within the poverty-oriented EU-ACP context. For that reason, it is appropriate to explore to what extent poverty-orientation is reflected in the cooperation.
Scope Relevance, (Internal) Coherence
Judgment Criterion 1.1
No contradiction is found between the evolving EC-OCT response strategies and the EU policy objectives related to OCTs
I 1.1.1: Correlation between the objectives of the EC response strategies under the 8th and 9th EDF, the promotion of economic and social development of the OCTs and the establishment of close economic EC-OCT relations
A high degree of coherence between the strategies and the development needs of the OCTs set out in official documents was found. There has been no contradiction since the specific SPDs, the Partnership Agreements with Greenland and the general trade preference system have reflected, in particular, the promotion of economic and social development of the OCTs and, more indirectly, close economic relations between the EU and the OCTs.
Article 1 of the Overseas Association Decision (OAD) contains the objectives of: - Promotion of the economic and social development of the OCTs, and
- Establish close economic relations between them and the Community as a whole.
- Focus on the reduction, prevention and, eventually, eradication of poverty and on sustainable development and gradual integration into the regional and world economies.
The SPDs under the 8th and 9th EDF and the Partnership Agreements with Greenland were in line with these objectives.
I 1.1.2: Representation in the response strategies of the 10th EDF of the increase of economic competitiveness, environmental resilience and increased participation in
Regarding the present and future cooperation, there is a general consensus about the framework of cooperation being outdated. The poverty orientation of the ACP-oriented 8th and 9th EDF is, according to the Green Paper consultation process, to be replaced by a cooperation which emphasises:
- Competitiveness of the economies of the OCTs
- Resilience of the OCTs in relation to their vulnerability - Enhanced integration of the OCTs in their regions
From OCT interviews and the Survey, it emerged that since 2009, the OCTs have further emphasised the importance of the foreseen climate change and their future energy challenges (and opportunities). In addition, the definition of the EU policy objectives may need updating in order to include issues of growing importance,
regional
integration of the OCTs
such as the substantial marine resources in the substantial exclusive economic zones surrounding the OCTs and the Arctic policy and strategy.49
In addition, the relations between the OCTs and the ORs of the EU seem to be an issue of increasing importance:
At the OCT Ministerial Conference and Forum, March 2010, the importance of this issue was underlined:
- By the newly elected OCTA-president, Mr Gomes, of New Caledonia: “For us to interact more with ultra-peripheral regions… in an efficient manner, these approaches must rely on new tools, internally and externally ”;50
- and by Denmark: “Nothing in the present Treaty provisions regulating the association of the OCTs with the Union prohibits equal treatment, or something like that, between th e OCTs and the outermost regions”.51
From the team interviews with the MS, it emerged that:
- The Netherlands endorses this shift from a classical development approach to an approach focusing on the increase of OCTs resilience. However, the move away development cooperation should not coincide with a decrease in the financial support available to the OCTs.
- In the UK, DfiD noted that the move towards a neighbourhood
relationship by the EC might leave the poorer OCTs (e.g. St Helena, and to a lesser extent Montserrat) isolated. These OCTs will not be moving out of a traditional aid relationship. DFID had the concern that any new relationship should leave them worse off. DFID also expressed the concern that a new relationship after 2013 should not increase the procedural burden, which they see as being heavy.
Field study findings on the representation of new objectives show that:
The Caribbean Regional SME Programme 52- involving both Dutch and British OCTs - focuses on competitiveness, resilience and regional integration but is still in the start-up phase. The Caribbean Regional Envelope for the 10th EDF will focus on support to SME and is based on a project idea, originally prepared by the BVI, which has been modified to become a regional programme involving the Dutch and British OCTs. The Regional SME programme has taken the whole regional envelope.53 The programme is still in its formulation phase and is facing a certain amount of difficulties reconciling the different expectations between the OCTs involved.
The unresolved status of Mayotte within the region makes regional integration difficult. This might change with change of status to DOM/OR (as with Reunion - which, for example, is a full member of the IOC (Indian Ocean Commission) and combines its ERDF funds in joint funding with EDF initiatives). However, this is unlikely to happen during the 10th EDF period. Hence, there are missed environmental opportunities hampered by territorial claims.
Marine resources are an example. Mayotte has a rich marine biodiversity but, for example, the regional programme RECOMAP (Regional Programme for the Sustainable Management of the Coastal Zones of the Indian Ocean Countries)
49
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council: The European Union and the Arctic Region, COM (2008), 763, 20.11.2008.
50
Intervention/conference ministerielle/24 mars 2010, Nouvelle-Caledonie, President Gomes, translated. 51
ON, OCTA Newsletter, May 2010, p.4.
52 Regional SME Programme : (€ 15.000.000). To strengthen the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the British and Dutch OCTs to reduce social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities through enhanced cooperation and competitiveness within the region).
53
This means that, for example, there is no room for potential implementation activities resulting from the R3I disaster preparedness work.
cannot work in or with Mayotte, being blocked within the IOC by the Comoros. Mayotte is excluded from an ongoing initiative linked to the IOC for establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in spite of its particularly important zone in the middle of the IOC’s geographic zone.54 Instead, a €3 million “regional” programme is being prepared, with strong MS- involvement, which involves the MPAs of Mayotte and the Scattered Islands of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (les Isles Èparses des TAAF) 55. As the MPAs overlap with the Economic Exclusive Zones (EEZ) of Mayotte and TAAF, there are geo-political issues at stake here, not just environmental considerations. The same issue arises to a certain extent with the BIOT (British Indian Ocean Territory) - uninhabited except for the US airforce base on Diego Garcia (leased to the USA by the UK but claimed by Mauritius).56 The marine reserve in the Chagos Archipelago with its 210,000 sq km will become the world’s largest marine reserve, banning fishing, collection of corals and the hunting of turtles and other wildlife.57 Thus, the opportunity of turning the whole Indian Ocean area covered by the IOC, Mayotte, the TAAF and the BIOT (British Indian Ocean Territories) into a protected marine zone has been missed.
Another missed opportunity is the absence of synergy between neighbouring countries active within the same sectors of the EDF, which could have added considerable value and cross-fertilised ideas and expertise. Such as the decentralisation programme in the Comoros and the local government programme in Mayotte, both focussing on management of solid waste.
In the Pacific, more consistency with OCT-EU joint policy objectives, particularly those stated in the green paper, was initially considered in French Polynesia by focusing on climate change. Lack of reactivity on government side (in allocating required human resources) and lack of timely support from the EC (training on SBS or TA) resulted recently in the abandonment of these options. Instead contribution was made to an already identified project of extension of Papeete sanitation network, where the territory has proven its technical capacity. The government still keep in mind the orientations stated in the Green Paper and would like to embody them at a later stage – contradictory to the option of preparing a SBS on water and sanitation for the 11th EDF during the 10th EDF. In New Caledonia, the 10th EDF territorial TIP does not reflect increased emphasis on those new topics. Left are regional programmes, opening for sustainable management of natural resources, with the INTEGRE programme under formulation. Yet to be concretely defined, this programme will most likely target the interactions in coastal environment.
In Wallis & Futuna, those topics were initially considered, but quickly abandoned to adjust to urgent needs such as the safeguard of Futuna island wharf. EC resources are distinctly targeted on capital investment to mitigate the inability of France to meet those requirements. W&F are associated to abovementioned INTEGRE regional programme.
54
Note that Mayotte is not the only area in dispute. The UK initiative to establish an MPA in the British Indian Ocean Territories is being resisted by Mauritius which disputes the British claim on the Chagos Archipelago. 55
Note that Mauritius, the Comoros, Seychelles, and Madagascar dispute France's sovereignty over the Scattered Islands.
56
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the Indian Ocean ACP countries were gaining their independence from the UK, the population living in the Chagos archipelago was re-settled in the Seychelles and Mauritius, at which point the islands were declared as being uninhabited. This allowed the UK to lease one of the islands of the Chagos archipelago – Diego Garcia – to the United States, for the construction of a military base. This stands at the basis for the claims by Mauritius and the Seychelles on the archipelago; and their disagreement on the declaration of the Protected Marine Area as an impingement on their sovereignty.
57
Judgment Criterion 1.2
No contradiction is found between EC-OCT response strategies under 8th, 9th and 10th EDF and the corresponding OCT priorities
I 1.2.1: Alignment of the objectives of the EC strategies with OCT Government priorities
It is found that there has been alignment of the objectives of the EC strategies with OCT Government priorities under the 8th, 9th and 10th EDF. The Team’s communication with the OCTs and the field visits showed a high degree of correspondence between the OCT priorities and the EC-OCT response strategies. According to the answers to Survey question1: Has EC support reflected the priorities of the Government of your OCT, there has been a high degree of correlation under the 8th and 9th EDF since all answers, but one, indicate high correspondence, as illustrated below:
- “High, the programs and projects financed with EDF were also nominated as priority by the OCT”.
- “All bids for support made to the EC over the past 10 years have related to the key, formally endorsed priorities of ... Consequently, all EC-funded interventions have been consistent and coherent in addressing the development needs of the Islands”.
- “High, at least since 2004”.
- “High: EDF could be used for projects identified by the Conseil général”. The field visit findings on the alignment, including for the 10th EDF, indicate that: In Aruba, project support from the EDF 8 (but implemented under EDF 9) focussed on tourism and sustainable development and resulted in the completion of two flagship projects with high EU visibility - the National Museum and the National Park. Under the 10th EDF, focus changed to budget support in the education sector as a reflection of national priorities.
In the Netherlands Antilles, the EC support programme under the 10th EDF 10 is a continuation of the project support under previous EDFs, but the preparation process was delayed as efforts were first made to prepare a Budget Support programme. This decision was rescinded by the EC and the NEA told to revert to Project Support. This process had started during the field visit but effectively put on hold pending the constitutional changes of 10th October 2010. The administrations of the 5 NEA islands had decided to suspend further work on the 10th EDF till after the constitutional change, which would include the upgrading of the offices of Deputy TAO to full TAO status and allow each (new) TAO office to work directly with the EU Delegation in Guyana (instead of through the TAO in Curacao)
Although there have been considerable delays in the preparation of the 10th EDF SPD, the EDF priorities chosen by the 5 NEA territories reflect their own perceived priorities (Bonaire, tourism and infrastructure; Curacao, tourism; Saba, environment; St. Eustatius, harbour; St. Maarten, infrastructure and environment) and the continuation of EDF 8 and 9 support to the same or related sectors. For example, the waste management project in Bonaire will pick up the gaps left from the discrepancy between original design and availability of finance.
Mayotte
The Budget Support programme prepared for the 10th EDF is seen by the Mahorais as giving them more ownership in the way funds are managed. However, Mayotte would like to see the Budget Support used for transport projects, notably the extension of the airport runway58, whereas the EC only
58
The extension of the runway at the international airport of Dzaoudzi is a recurring theme in Mayotte, and is also mentioned in the SPDs. However, the EDF funds provided through budget support would not be enough to
considered transport as one element and that the territory’s financial administration needed improving. Therefore the Delegation found the idea behind budget support not really understood.
Mayotte has prepared both a sustainable development plan (PADD - Plan d'Aménagement et de Développement Durable) and a waste management strategy (PEDMA - Plan d’Elimination des Déchets Ménagers et Assimilé), both of which are part of the EC prerequisites for budget support. PEDMA provides an important context for the EDF 9 environment/waste management projects.
The technical cooperation facility (UTG, Unité Technique de Gestion), established as a condition for support to Mayotte during the EDF 9 implementation, was also involved in supporting the preparation of the EDF 10 budget support programme. Nonetheless, problems remained because a number of conditions remain difficult to meet. This may need to be resolved on a case-by- case basis in Brussels with the involvement of the Member State, which can act as sovereign guarantee for certain conditions (particularly in a context where the OCT doesn’t have relations with the IMF and therefore decisions cannot be based on IMF analyses). The approval of the 10th EDF will also trigger a number of support measures by the EC. As regards Budget Support, the Delegation raised the issue that there are no particular OCT guidelines for budget support and that ACP guidelines for budget support are not necessarily appropriate. Moreover, the poverty criterion is not applicable to OCTs.
In Falkland Islands budget support envisaged under the 10th EDF will continue in support of priorities identified in the Islands Development Plan, “Support to Trade development and private sector business expansion in the Falkland Islands” particularly concerned with reducing dependence on fisheries as the main source of revenue, so there is continuity.
In Montserrat, there has been growing consistency from the 8th EDF to the 9th EDF and now the 10th EDF. To some extent this reflects the different phases of Montserrat’s reconstruction effort, with the reprogrammed 8th EDF funds supporting essential reconstruction e.g. the new airport and housing for those displaced by the volcanic activity and the 9th EDF focusing on attempts to revitalise the economy through private sector development.
The 10th, like the 9th EDF, will focus on General Budget Support as the aid instrument. The draft SPD (dated October 2010) highlights that it is highly complementary with the EC financed programmes under the 9th EDF allocation, as well as with DfID's framework of assistance. The overall objective is to support implementation of the Sustainable Development Plan and Sustainability Roadmap to contribute to the recovery of Montserrat by facilitating improved economic, social and environmental conditions for sustainable development. In French Polynesia, the same focal sector was kept for the 10th EDF, allowing the same degree of consistency. By choosing to continue its support to vocational training with the 10th EDF, the EC kept a high degree of consistency with the New Caledonia policy objective, which sees vocational training as a main ways to attract part of the educated Kanaks into the workforce. In Wallis & Futuna, the project approach was so basic that it is difficult to assess a high degree of consistency, be it for the 8th, 9th, or 10th EDF. Moreover, one out of the three projects initially considered (fishing port) was abandoned to fund the commercial port extension.
The cooperation under the EU-Greenland Partnership Agreements is fully aligned with the Government’s policy objectives.
The answers to the survey question (37): Are there examples of EC support,
fund even if the environmental objections could be overcome. Moreover the necessity for the extensions may well be overtaken by events, as the new generation of long-haul aeroplanes will not require a runway extension.
which you would have preferred but which has not been possible, indicate that the OCT governments find a need for more effective participation in extra-EDF EC- cooperation:
- “Real opportunities for access to horizontal budget lines. Access to research and development support. Practical support (e.g. provision of equipment and materials) to facilitate implementation of the recommendations of the Disaster Preparedness/Management consultant funded from the 9th EDF Envelope C”. - “Yes, there is a need for EC to better communicate on their initiatives in
order to allow us to participate. Hence, if the EC wants to boost regional integration, it has to integrate OCTs in the activities implemented with ACP countries”.
- “Access to all EC programmes and guidance… There is little effect in