A regional representation in Brussels: the right idea for influencing EU policy making?

A regional representation in Brussels: the right idea for influencing EU policy making?

The Regional Representations and Liaison Offices in Brussels are the main actors in the acquisition, organisation and efficient transformation of EU information for their territorial entries and governmental bodies. Regional offices have already strengthened the role they play and will strengthen it further within European and “European domestic” politics. With over 150 Regional Offices now established in Brussels, this publication aims to look at how, and in what framework, the Regional Offices operate, what their goals are and how they have developed their role over the years in order to consolidate and increase the flow of information and ideas between the European Union and the sub-national level. This publication is a result of a round table in 1998 organised by the European Centre for the Regions (ECR) on “The future role of the Regional Representations in Brussels - strengths and weaknesses” during which specific questions on the raison d'être of Regional Offices were discussed with 35 heads and representatives of such Offices. It gives in-depth information on the regional bases' exact structure and function plus lays down the bases' objectives and policies in relation to their effectiveness, i.e. what techniques and approaches are used to achieve what they want and how they interact with each other.

The volume is in seven parts: Introductory remarks; Some necessary cross connections; The background of the Regional Offices - a “difficult” birth; The “face” of the Regional Offices - models, structures and resources; The functioning, roles and techniques of the Brussels' bases; Are they worth the money? - the effectiveness of the RO's operation; Final thoughts and prospects. A list of Regional offices is included.

The author, Alexander Heichlinger, is a researcher and project leader at the European Centre for the Regions at the Antenna Barcelona of the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA).