I think citizens of all the remaining European overseas territories have the right to abode in the EU, although I’m not sure about Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles.

Residents of the British Caribbean islands don’t; there’s been complaints, particularly from Montserrat, about Montserratians’ inability to enjoy the same rights of mobility as Gibraltarians or Falklanders, with hints of racism. The Dutch Caribbean islanders, on the other hand, do have unrestricted rights of migration to the metropole.

The European Union’s relationship to the world just beyond its likely frontiers is something it really is going to have to think of. Israel, for instance, the Maghreb, and Ukraine. The Wider Europe Initiative might not go far enough.

My understanding is that since the passage of the British Overseas Territories Act of 2002, there are to be British citizens and British Overseas Territories citizens. All other statuses - British Overseas citizen, British Dependent Territory citizens, British Protected persons, etc - are abolished. Both categories of British citizen have the right to abode in the UK, but British citizens do not automatically have any right to reside in dependent territories. I had understood that the High Court gave them all the right to abode in the UK anyway in 2000.

I think one place the EU might act productively is to say that all EU members must offer the right to abode in their EU member territories to all persons who are citizens of areas under their jurisdiction, even if that right isn’t reciprocal. Make it clear once and for all that in Europe there is only one kind of citizen.

I think that if the EU members aren’t going to be equally integrated within the EU, it makes little sense to demand that all states outside the EU be treated equally either. Turkey, Israel, most of northern Africa, the European non-members, Russia, Dubai - in each case, I think it makes some sense to say that there exists a relationship that isn’t just international business as usual and try to negotiate something that works reasonably well for everyone.

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) could serve as an “EU light”. Perhaps also an interesting model for the UK. ;-)

In the EU, there is the concept of ultra-peripheral areas. Those are outlying territories that are considered as part of the EU: the Canaries, the Azores, Madeira and the four French DOMs Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion and French Guiana. Greenland voted to leave the EU in 1985. The Faeroes have never been part of the EU. The other French, British and Dutch territories are not a part of the EU, but I guess that the French and Dutch territories are de facto within the Schengen area. They also get extra money from the EU. On the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, there is an ongoing discussion about three options: total independence (for each of the separate islands), integration in the EU (by becoming a part of the Netherlands, a kind of overseas province) or keeping the status-quo (the current “status aparte” with autonomy on internal affairs).

Peter, you have to go through customs when you enter France from St-Martin, and I think you do when you come in from Guadeloupe and Martinique. I’m not sure they are covered by the Schengen Treaty. I know that you need a separate visa to visit Aruba - a Dutch visa doesn’t cut it.