Treaty Establishing the Caribbean Community and Common Market - CARICOM CHAPTER I: PRINCIPLES ARTICLE 1 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY By this Treaty the Contracting Parties establish among themselves a Caribbean Community (hereinafter referred to as "the Community") having the membership, powers and functions hereinafter specified. ARTICLE 2 MEMBERSHIP 1. Membership of the Community shall be open to-- (a) (i) Antigua (ii) Bahamas (iii) Barbados (iv) Belize (v) Dominica (vi) Grenada (vii) Guyana (viii) Jamaica (ix) Montserrat (x) St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla (xi) St. Lucia (xii) St. Vincent (xiii) Trinidad and Tobago. (b) any other State of the Caribbean Region that is in the opinion of the Conference able and willing to exercise the rights and assume the obligations of membership in accordance with Article 29 of this Treaty. 2. States listed in paragraph (a) of this Article the Governments of which sign this Treaty in accordance with Article 22 and ratify it in accordance with Article 23 shall become Member States of the Community. ARTICLE 3 DEFINITION OF LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND MORE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES For the purposes of this Treaty the States specified in paragraph l (iii), (vii), (viii) and (xiii) of Article 2 shall be designated More Developed Countries and the remainder listed in the said Paragraph, other than the Bahamas, shall be designated Less Developed Countries until such time as the Conference otherwise determine by majority decision. ARTICLE 4 OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY The Community shall have as its objectives-- (a) the economic integration of the Member States by the establishment of a common market regime (hereinafter referred to as "the Common Market") in accordance with the provisions of the Annex to this Treaty with the following aims:-- (i) the strengthening, coordination and regulation of the economic and trade relations among Member States in order to promote their accelerated harmonious and balanced development; (ii) the sustained expansion and continuing integration of economic activities, the benefits of which shall be equitably shared taking into account the need to provide special opportunities for the Less Developed Countries; (iii) the achievement of a greater measure of economic independence and effectiveness of its Member States in dealing with States; groups of states and entities of whatever description; (b) the coordination of the foreign policies of Member States; and (c) functional cooperation, including-- (i) the efficient operation of certain common services and activities for the benefit of its peoples; (ii) the promotion of greater understanding among its peoples and the advancement of their social, cultural and technological development; (iii) activities in the fields specified in the Schedule and referred to in Article 18 of this Treaty. ARTICLE 5 GENERAL UNDERTAKING AS TO IMPLEMENTATION Member States shall take all appropriate measures, whether general or particular, to ensure the carrying out of obligations arising out of this Treaty or resulting from decisions taken by the Organs of the Common Market. They shall facilitate the achievement of the objectives of the Common Market. They shall abstain from any measures which could jeopardise the attainment of the objectives this Treaty. Continue on to Chapter II