With the law of March 2nd, 1982, the Area reached the statute of local government agency except for whole, as well as the commune or the department. This dedication is the result of a slow evolution, marked in 1964 by the creation of the Commission of regional economic development (To code), charged to represent the interests of the Area near the prefect. In 1969, a bill worked out under the authority of the de Gaulle general and tending to recognize the Area as local government agency was rejected by referendum. But, since 1972, this project was started again, in a less ambitious form, by president Pompidou: the Area is seen not recognizing the legal personality as an local government agency, but as territorial public corporation whose mission is “to contribute to the economic development and social of the area”. To code is removed and replaced by two institutions: the district council and the Economic and Social Committee. The first has a decision-making power out of budgetary matter, while the second has only one advisory role. The prefect remains titular regional executive.

The reform of 1982 finally posed the principle of a transformation of the Area into local government agency. But the final pleasure of this new statute was subordinated to the election of the regional advisers by the universal direct suffrage; it thus could be effective only after the first regional elections of March 16th, 1986. The executive power, on the other hand, was transferred since 1982 to the president from the district council, the regional prefect preserving the direction of the decentralized services of the State and acquiring an administrative power to control of the acts of the regional authorities.

They are numerous: initially, the Area works out its own plan, which cannot deviate from the orientations of that of the nation. It has important powers for town and country planning, and its capacity of economic intervention was reinforced by the law of January 5th, 1988. From now on, the Area can guarantee and guarantee the public loans and private, but also take part in the capital of finance companies. Lastly, since the reform of 1982, certain competences were transferred to the Area, as regards continuing professional education, of training, public education and specialist education. It is also qualified for the river ports, the assistances with inshore fishing and the companies of marine culture. The organization of the Area is built on a model close to that which governs the department. The district council is the deliberating assembly; its members are elected in each department for six years with the list system to the representation proportional, without mixing nor preferential vote; the distribution of the seats is done between the only lists having obtained at least 5 % of the votes cast. The manpower of the district councils and the distribution of the seats were modified by the law of December 31st, 1991 and vary according to the population of the Area.

The operating rules of the district council are identical to those of the general advice; its competences, defined by the law, relate to the promotion of “economic development, social and medical of the Area ” and the engagement of the actions “complementary to those of the State, other local communities and public corporations in the Area ”.

The president of the district council is elected, as well as the office, for six years. He prepares and carries out the deliberations of the council, directs the regional services and profits from the provision of the services of the State. Contrary to the president of the general advice, it does not have any policing powers; those remain between the hands of the regional prefect.

The deliberations of the district council as well as the acts of the president are subjected to a control of legality under the same conditions as the communal and departmental authorities.

In addition to its bodies decision-makers, the organization of the Area also understands consultative bodies. The Economic and Social Committee, successor To code it , are composed members chosen within the organizations economic, social, professional, educational and family of the Area, which are indicated for six years. The reform of 1982 limited the cases where the consultation of the Economic and Social Committee is obligatory: preparation and execution of the plan of the nation, assessment of execution of that of the Area and project of the budget of the Area. It created another consultative body, composed of 21 elected officials designated by the district council and the other local communities: the regional committee of the loans. Its role is “to determine the general orientations of the loans that the Case of the deposits, the savings banks and the case of assistance to the equipment of the local communities grant to the communities of the Area for the financing of public equipment”. This committee is chaired by the prefect.

The Area has own resources, resulting from taxation before perceived by the State of the driving licenses and the automobile licenses, of additional fees to the four local taxes and the real transfer taxes, and of State grants.