CHAPTER I: General provisions

The Departments of Guadeloupe, Mayotte and Reunion exercise the powers which the laws, in their provisions not contrary to those of this Title, attribute to all the Departments.

The departmental council of each overseas department may submit proposals to the Government with a view to the conclusion of international commitments concerning regional cooperation between the French Republic and, depending on its geographical environment, the States or territories of the Caribbean, the States or territories of the American continent neighbouring the Caribbean, the States or territories of the Indian Ocean or the States or territories of the continents neighbouring…

In areas of State competence, the authorities of the Republic may empower the President of the General Council of the Overseas Departments to negotiate and sign agreements with one or more States or territories located, as the case may be, in the Caribbean or on the American continent neighbouring the Caribbean, in the Indian Ocean area or on the continents neighbouring the Indian Ocean, or with regional bodies in the…

In the areas of competence of the department, the departmental councils of the overseas departments may, by deliberation, request the authorities of the Republic to authorise their president to negotiate, in compliance with the international commitments of the Republic, agreements with one or more States, territories or regional bodies defined in article L. 3441-3. When this authorisation is granted, the authorities of the Republic are, at their request, represented at…

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…

International agreements relating both to areas of State competence and to areas of departmental competence are, in cases where the first paragraph of articles L. 3441-3 and L. 3441-4-1 is not applied, negotiated and signed by the authorities of the Republic. At its request, the president of the departmental council or his representative takes part, as part of the French delegation, in the negotiation of these agreements. The presidents of…

The departmental councils of the overseas departments may submit to the Government any proposal for France to join the regional bodies mentioned in the first paragraph of Article L. 3441-3.

Departmental councils in overseas departments may use local semi-public companies and semi-public companies governed by the loi n° 46-860 du 30 avril 1946 précitée, pour la mise en œuvre des actions engagées dans le cadre des compétences qui leur sont dévolues en matière de coopération régionale.

In the overseas departments, the State representative in the department exercises the powers conferred on the prefect of the defence zone by I of article L. 1424-36-1. The provisions of II and III of article L. 1424-36-1 are not applicable in overseas departments.

For their application to Réunion, the articles L. 1424-51 to L. 1424-58 are subject to the following adaptations: At the proposal of the board of directors of the fire and rescue service of Réunion and the general council of Mayotte, a public fire and rescue establishment may be created for the southern defence zone of the Indian Ocean. This creation is the subject of an order by the prefect of…