French Government Unveils Plan to Address High Living Costs in Overseas Territories

Manuel Valls announces comprehensive legislation to tackle economic challenges in Martinique and beyond, targeting monopolistic practices and promoting local production.

Manuel Valls has announced a draft law to combat high living costs in French overseas territories, set to be proposed before summer 2025.
The legislation will address structural economic issues, including reducing import dependency and promoting local production to foster economic transformation.
Key measures include combating monopolistic practices by dominant distribution groups and increasing transparency in economic activities with stricter penalties for non-compliance.
The law builds on prior proposals by overseas parliamentarians and aims to better integrate these territories with their regional markets.
A €10 million financial aid package will support businesses affected by the 2024 protests over high food prices, which are up to 40% higher than in mainland France.