ced ed ▁from ▁Gu adel oupe ▁( over se as ▁department ▁of ▁France ▁and ▁outer most ▁region ▁( OM R ) ▁of ▁the ▁EU ) ▁and ▁became ▁over se as ▁collect iv ities ▁of ▁France , ▁but ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁remained ▁O MR s ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Union . ▁Later , ▁the ▁elected ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Saint - Bar th é le my ▁expressed ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁" ob tain ▁a ▁European ▁status ▁which ▁would ▁be ▁better ▁su ited ▁to ▁its ▁status ▁under ▁domestic ▁law , ▁particularly ▁given ▁its ▁rem oten ess ▁from ▁the ▁main land , ▁its ▁small ▁ins ular ▁economy ▁largely ▁devoted ▁to ▁tour ism ▁and ▁subject ▁to ▁difficulties ▁in ▁obtain ing ▁supplies ▁which ▁ham per ▁the ▁application ▁of ▁some ▁European ▁Union ▁standards ." ▁France , ▁reflect ing ▁this ▁desire , ▁requested ▁at ▁the ▁European ▁Council ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁Saint ▁Bar th é le my ▁to ▁an ▁over se as ▁country ▁or ▁territory ▁( O CT ) ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁European ▁Union . ▁The ▁status ▁change ▁came ▁into ▁effect ▁from ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁ ▁, ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁only ▁EU ▁member ▁state ▁to ▁have ▁invoked ▁Article ▁ 5 0 ▁and ▁the ▁only ▁member ▁state ▁to ▁have ▁left ▁the ▁EU . ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁government ▁led ▁by ▁David ▁Camer on ▁held ▁a ▁refer endum ▁on ▁the ▁issue ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ; ▁a ▁majority ▁voted ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁European ▁Union .