The law of October 14, 2015 relating to the updating of the law of Overseas has compensated for the lack of observatory of the prices of margins and incomes in Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy, by creating one on each island. These two territories were indeed the only ones in Overseas not to be equipped with this tool created by the decree of May 2, 2007. However, the law has still not been applied in Saint-Martin where the observatory does does not exist.
At the start of the year, the Prefect announced (finally) its establishment; this should take place next month in an official and concrete manner. The composition of the observatory has been recorded.
Placed under the presidency of the president of section at the territorial room of the accounts of Saint-Martin, it will have for main missions “to analyze the level and the structure of the prices and incomes, and to provide to the public authorities regular information on their evolution".
It will also allow the installation of the price shield locally, that is to say to establish a list of essential products and define the maximum prices that merchants and large retailers can not exceed; the selected products will not be systematically the products identified as the first prices in stores. The Fraud and Competition Department will carry out regular checks in the stores to ensure that prices are respected.
The observatory also conduct studies. Once a year, the observatory will decide on a sector to be scrutinized (rent, etc.) in order to see if abuses are committed. Depending on the results, the chairman of the observatory may seize the competition authority. "In Reunion, the publication of the report on the prices of mobile phone plans allowed a drop in prices, the operators concerned had themselves initiated regulation, "says the section president of the regional chamber of accounts of Guadeloupe.
On the other hand, the consumer will not be able to seize the observatory to denounce abusive practices.
The price shield is a device which had been introduced by the Lurel law known as of fight against the expensive life in 2013. It had also been set up in Saint-Martin by the prefect in but in an informal way because its application in Saint- Martin had not been specified in the law following an oversight.
Composition of the price observatory:
• its president
• the prefect or her representative
• the regional director of public finance or his representative
• the regional director of INSEE or his representative
• the director of the Direct or his representative
• the member for the riding
• the senator from Saint-Martin
• the president of the COM or his representative
• the president of the CESC or his representative
• the President of the CCISM
unions of employees in the private and public sectors (UGTG, UNSA, FIPCOM, CPME
• two qualified persons designated by the prefect on the proposal of the president of the observatory because of their competence or their knowledge of the economy of the territory (port director and secretary of the consumer defense association of Saint Martin)
• the director of Iedom Guadeloupe or his representative
(Source: www.soualigapost.com)
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