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Saint Barthelemy - Government

Saint Barthélemy was formerly a town within the department of Guadeloupe. Saint-Barthélemy, which was set up in 2007, is composed of a territorial assembly of 19 members elected for a five-year term at direct universal suffrage. The Organic Act of 21 February 2007 on statutory and institutional provisions relating to overseas territories established the municipalities of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin as overseas collectivities under Article 74 of the Constitution . The two communities were officially established on July 15, 2007. The new community of Saint-Barthélemy is composed of a territorial assembly of 19 members elected for 5 years by direct universal suffrage.

In the first territorial elections in 2007, Mr. Bruno MAGRAS was elected president of the Saint-Barthélemy community. The territorial council exercises the powers that are currently vested in the commune, the department and the region. It lays down the rules applicable in the following matters:

• Taxes, duties and taxes;
• Town planning; Housing; Housing;
• Road traffic and road transport; Maritime service of territorial interest; Registration of ships; Creation, development and operation of seaports with the exception of the labor regime;
• Roads, public property and property;
• Environment, including the protection of wooded areas (only for Saint-Barthélemy);
• Access to work by foreigners;
• Tourism ;
• Energy (from 1 January 2012 for Saint-Martin);
• Creation and organization of community services and public institutions;

The Saint-Barthélemy Community is consulted on bills, orders and decrees that introduce, modify or delete provisions specific to the community. Laws and regulations shall apply as of right to Saint-Barthélemy, with the exception of those intervening in matters falling within the normative jurisdiction of the community or concerning the rules on the entry and residence of aliens and the right to 'asylum.

At the Community level, Saint-Barthélemy's transition from the status of RUP (Ultra-Peripheral Region) to that of OCT (Overseas Countries and Territories) as from 1 January 2012 was validated on 29 October by a unanimous vote Of the European Council. In addition to the freeing of European standards, the OCT status will enable the community to benefit from customs jurisdiction.

The Euro remains the currency of Saint-Barthélemy. A monetary agreement for the maintenance of the euro has been concluded between the European Union and the French Republic, which will continue to apply to Saint Barthelemy the legal acts and rules of the European Union necessary for the functioning of Economic and Monetary Union In particular to ensure the unity of the Eurosystem's monetary policy, to equalize the conditions of competition between financial institutions in the euro area and to prevent fraud and counterfeiting of means of payment and the laundering of capital.

The Executive Board and the Economic and Social Council are responsible for assisting the territorial council in the management of affairs of interest to the community. An elected executive council is established by the territorial council within it. Chaired by the President of the Territorial Council, it comprises four vice-presidents and two other councilors. A social and cultural economic council (CESC), in charge of advising the territorial council, is also set up in each community. Its members are appointed for a period of 5 years. This instance is consulted on the distribution and use of State appropriations for investments of interest to the community, and on the preparation of the community's development and sustainable development plan, as well as on the general orientations of its draft budget. On its own initiative, the CESC may give its opinion on any proposed economic, social or cultural deliberations and be consulted by the Representative of the State.

Until 2007, the administrative organization of the northern islands was that of a district of the department of Guadeloupe. The creation of the two communities of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin was accompanied by a strengthening of the presence of the State. The representative of the State is the Prefect of Guadeloupe, assisted by a delegate prefect who exercises, by a large delegation, the effective direction of the services of the State in Saint Martin and St. Bartholomew.

The State services are grouped together in a single delegation located in Saint-Martin, called the prefecture of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin. It is responsible for designing and implementing public policies within its territorial jurisdiction.

The representative of the State may use the deconcentrated services of Guadeloupe, as necessary, for missions which the local services present in Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy would not be able to provide.

Functionally, the services of the prefecture of "Saint-Barthélemy-Saint-Martin" are composed of the services of the former sub-prefecture and those of the departmental and regional departments of the State in Guadeloupe within Four departments (Cabinet, Civil Liberties and General Affairs, Planning and Sustainable Development, Social Cohesion and Health Action) and two clusters (economic and financial affairs, education and culture).