Which territories are covered?

The acronym DROM refers to the overseas departments and regions: Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion and Mayotte. These territories are part of France and are located outside metropolitan France.

A specific constitutional framework

They fall under Article 73 of the Constitution. Laws and regulations apply there automatically, with adaptations permitted under this framework. Institutional arrangements are not necessarily identical from one territory to another: the designation DROM alone does not describe each territory’s local arrangements.

Do not confuse DROM with COM

COM fall under a different constitutional framework, that of Article 74. France’s overseas presence also contributes to the extent of its maritime areas, particularly its exclusive economic zones. Overseas territories therefore do not form a single institutional category.