In the areas of competence of the overseas department, the president of the departmental council may, for the duration of his term of office, draw up a regional cooperation framework programme specifying the nature, object and scope of the international commitments that he proposes to negotiate, in compliance with the international commitments of the Republic, with one or more States, territories or regional bodies mentioned in Article L. 3441-2.
The president of the departmental council submits this framework programme to the deliberation of the departmental council, which may then request, in the same deliberation, that the authorities of the Republic authorise its president to negotiate the agreements provided for in this framework programme.
Where such authorisation is expressly granted, the president of the departmental council may enter into the negotiations provided for in the framework programme. He shall inform the authorities of the Republic which, at their request, shall be represented at the negotiations.
The president of the departmental council submits any amendments to its framework programme for deliberation by the departmental council. These modifications are approved by the authorities of the Republic, under the same conditions as the initial procedure.
At the end of the negotiations, the draft agreement is submitted to the deliberation of the departmental council for acceptance. The authorities of the Republic may then, subject to compliance with its international commitments, give power to the President of the Departmental Council for the purpose of signing the agreement.