Legal Services

The Legal Unit provides legal institutional support to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in terms of reviewing Memoranda of Understanding between the OECS and International and Regional Agencies, preparing and reviewing contracts to facilitate the work of the different Divisions and Units of the Organisation and providing general legal advice and guidance to the Organisation on a wide range of matters. In addition, the Legal Unit provides legislative drafting support to the Organisation and its Member States and is primarily responsible for implementing Article 14 of the Treaty, which confers Legislative Competence to the Organisation in specific areas. The Legal Unit also assists other Units and Divisions of the OECS Commission in implementing the Treaty and interprets other treaties, statutes, policy or practice that affect the work of the Units and the development agenda for the Member States of the OECS. 

Current programmes include: 

1. Legal Guidance 
2. Facilitating the OECS Assembly

1 - Legal Guidance 

The Legal Unit provides legal guidance and support to Units and Divisions of the OECS Commission and the OECS Member States and in this regard is in a unique position to act as the "bridge”, which links the efforts that are aimed at deepening the level of integration and pursuit of a common economic purpose among Member States.

2 - Facilitating the OECS Assembly

The OECS Assembly is a regional Parliament that facilitates debates and passes legislature which advances and strengthens OECS Economic Union, on behalf of the people of the OECS.  Each Parliament of an independent Member State is entitled to elect five of its members to the Assembly. The legislatures of non-independent Member States are entitled to elect three members. The membership includes at least two elected government members (including the Head of Government) and at least one opposition member (including the Leader of the Opposition). If there are no elected opposition members in the local legislature, the Head of State of that Member State is empowered to designate a person to represent the opposition party or parties. The tenure of membership of the Assembly is two years from the date on which the member was elected, or until the next general election for the local legislature which he or she represents, whichever is shorter.

The Bills debated and approved by the Assembly are regional legislation that is passed in the parliaments of all OECS Member States.  The Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the OECS Economic Union.  The Assembly is responsible to the OECS Authority, the principal decision-making body of the OECS.

The Assembly was inaugurated on August 10, 2012, and is headquartered in Antigua and Barbuda. The Assembly meets at least twice per year or as directed by the OECS Authority.

Access more resources on Legal Services in the Eastern Caribbean via the OECS Library.