Page 108 - Caribbean-Central America Profile 2018

MARTINIQUE

CARIBBEAN-CENTRAL AMERICA PROFILE 2018

Official Name: Department of Martinique
Capital: Fort-de-France
MARTINIQUE Marigot
Nationality: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
St. -Pierrre La Trinité Official Language: French, Creole patois
Population Total (millions): 0.39 (2016 est.)
Le Robert
Schoelcher Size: 425 square miles
FORT-DE-FRANCE
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Rivère Salée Le Vauclin Internet Domain: .mq
Le Marin International Dialling Code: +596
Electricity: 220 volts/50 cycles

COUNTRY OVERVIEW INVESTMENT INCENTIVES
q Martinique is an overseas Martinique’s investment regime which follows that of France is among the world’s least restrictive. There is
department of France. no generalised screening of foreign investment. Only acquisitions, irrespective of size or the nationality of the
investors, involving the health sector, public order or the national security of France are subject to a one-month
q The north of the island is official review.
mountainous and lushly
forested. Nevertheless, there are certain sector based foreign investment restrictions that in practice tend to favour
q The most dominating of investors from other EU countries. The French system of incentives and grants (exemption from social security
the islands mountains is the contributions, tax reductions, grants) have been supplemented by regional measures in the form of exemptions
volcano Mount Pelée. from local consumption tax and grants.
q The volcanic ash has created A public and commercial establishment, the French Agency for International Investment (Agence Francaise
beautiful gray and black pour les Investissements Internationaux-AFII) integrates all offices responsible for promoting investment in
sand beaches in the north, France. The agency combines the overseas offices of the foreign investment promotion agency, Invest in France
contrasting markedly from Agencies (IFA), with teams of the delegation to international investment, and the Invest in France Network
the white sands of Les (IFN) association.
Salines in the south.
q The capital is Fort-de-France. FREE TRADE ZONES / INDUSTRIAL SITES
There is one free trade zone, which is located near Fort-de-France. This FTZ provides participants with a wide
range of exemptions that include tax holidays, duty entry of plant and equipment as well as raw material and
exemption from major social contributions.

There are also four industrial sites:
• La Jambette industrial zone in Fort-de France.
• Place d’Armes industrial zone and La Lezarde industrial zone in Lamentin.
• Petite-Cocotte industrial zone at Ducos.
• La Laugier industrial zone at Riviere-Salee.
TRADE AGREEMENTS AND INVESTMENT TREATIES
Martinique, being a department of France and part of the EU, has a network of bilateral and regional trade
agreements. There are free trade agreements (two-way free trade without common external tariffs) and other
sorts of preferential trade agreements with Norway, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan,
Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Mexico and South Africa. The EU provides nonreciprocal preferential access
to its markets to ACP countries (African, Caribbean and Pacific developing countries) under the Cotonou
Agreement.
GOVERNMENT
As a French Overseas Department, Martinique is represented by four deputies in the French National Assembly,
two senators in the Senate, and by one representative on the Economic and Social Council. The prefect,
appointed by Paris, oversees the administration of the department. There is an elected Regional Council of 41
members and a General Council of 45 members. Martinique follows the French legal system; the highest court
is a Court of Appeal based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Martinique.

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