Higher grants for overseas communes

Communes in the overseas departments of France (DROM) receive higher overall operating grants (DGF) per inhabitant compared to those in Metropolitan France, with the gap increasing since 2019. In 2025, the DGF per inhabitant for the five overseas departments was 270 €, compared to 179 € for Metropolitan France, representing a 51 % increase.

DGF differences by region

The DGF is structured differently in Metropolitan and overseas departments. Metropolitan communes receive a flat grant and three equalization grants, while DROM communes rely on a specific envelope called the "dotation d'aménagement des communes d'outre-mer," which amounted to 149 € per inhabitant in 2025. This envelope has grown significantly since 2019, increasing by 76 %, while the DGF for Metropolitan communes increased only by 7.8 % during the same period.

Equalization and local wealth

The share of equalization is distributed according to an index that favors poorer and younger populations, and it also considers the wealth of the commune, including the "octroi de mer." Better provision with the "octroi de mer" results in less equalization for Martinique. At comparable levels of poverty, the advantage of overseas communes disappears, with Martinique communes receiving similar DGF per inhabitant to their Metropolitan counterparts with comparable incomes.

Import tax as a key revenue source

The "octroi de mer," a tax on imported and locally produced goods, is a significant source of revenue for DROM communes. In 2025, the DROM communes recorded 1.16 billion euros of "octroi de mer," or 528 € per inhabitant, nearly twice their DGF. In Martinique, this tax brought 260.5 million euros to the 34 communes, 714 € per inhabitant, which is 2.9 times their DGF and 38.4 % of their operating revenues.

Higher revenues but higher costs

Martinique communes have 1,860 € of operating revenues per inhabitant, compared to 1,525 € for communes of the same size in Metropolitan France, a 22 % increase. However, their expenses are higher, with personnel costs reaching 1,083 € per inhabitant in Martinique, compared to 761 € in Metropolitan France. Despite higher revenues, the Martinique communes receive 335 € more per inhabitant but spend 401 € more on operating expenses, resulting in lower gross savings and equipment expenses compared to their Metropolitan counterparts.

Future financial outlook

The future of the budgets of the overseas communes depends more on the "octroi de mer" than on the DGF, as this tax is paid by the residents themselves and is subject to European regimes governing imported consumption. The comparison of financial resources does not fully capture the real charges of a commune, which also depend on natural risks, terrain, and the scattering of housing. The 2025 accounts are provisional, and the financial dynamics between overseas and Metropolitan communes remain complex.