Are you listening?

By Simon Taylor

Date: 01/06/06

Europe's regions are an expression of the complexity and contradictions of the EU. In theory, it is in the regions that the most direct effect of the EU's policies can be seen.

Regional development spending will account for 35% of the EU's entire spending budget over the next seven years. Regional funding pays for the infrastructure projects which boost the economic potential of regions. It is in the regions that farmers benefit from the support of the Common Agricultural Policy. But it does not follow that because Europe's citizens feel loyalty to their regions that they will look with any greater affection on the EU.

The EU is an inter-governmental, supranational project and the dialogue between the regions and the EU is subject to national interference. While the regions do have a political voice in Brussels through the Committee of the Regions, there is a feeling that this voice is not heard as clearly as it should be. Even within a nation there are tensions between central and regional governments. In some countries these tensions are being addressed through moves towards greater decentralisation of EU-related policymaking.

The role of the regions is bound to come to the fore in the coming years. The level of funding for the regions will be central to an imminent discussion about the EU's budget after 2013. A review of the EU's spending was promised as part of the deal on the 2007-13 budget. The UK for one will be arguing that regional development money should go only to the poorest states while rich ones should take care of their own lagging regions.

The tensions between rich and poor, between economic liberals and protectionists, between centralisers and decentralisers, will all be played out over Europe's regions.

Author suggests that in the European Union the voice of the regions is not heard as it should be but that their is bound to come to the fore in the coming years.
Article is part of a European Voice Special Report, 'Europe's regions'.

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