Recital 12

(12)While thematic programmes should primarily support developing countries, two beneficiary countries as well as the overseas countries and territories (OCTs), whose characteristics do not meet the requirements to be defined as Official Development Assistance (ODA) recipients by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD/DAC) and which are covered by Article 2(4), second subparagraph, first indent, should also be eligible for thematic programmes under the conditions set out in this Regulation. The Community should finance thematic programmes in countries, territories and regions eligible for assistance under a geographic programme provided for under this Regulation, for assistance under Regulation (EC) No 1638/2006 or for geographic cooperation in accordance with the European Development Fund (EDF). Council Decision 2001/822/EC of 27 November 2001 on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Community (‘Overseas Association Decision’) ¹⁰, which is applicable until 31 December 2011, lays down the conditions for the eligibility of OCTs for the thematic activities of development assistance funded by the general budget of the European Union, which are not altered by this Regulation.