In the provision relating to the geographic coverage of the EC Treaty (Art. 299 TEC), it is stated that ‘The provisions of this Treaty shall apply to the French overseas departments, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands’.
However, the provision further states that, because of the remoteness, insular nature and certain other special features of the regions, it is possible for the Council to adopt special measures applicable to them with regard to customs and trade policies, fiscal policy, free zones, etc. Hence there are special customs regulations applicable to Gran Canaria, and it is still possible to carry on duty-free trade, although duty-free sales have been abolished in principle on journeys between the EU countries.
| The French Overseas Departments are the islands of Réunion, Guadeloupe and Martinique and French Guyana; in other words, geographically the EU also comprises parts of the Caribbean archipelago. |