The lobby of a province in the Committee of the Regions and the effect of the internal organisation

Mgr. Claudia van der Pol, MSc

Master's thesis

Abstract:

According to literature covering multi-level governance and Europeanisation the role of the European Union is becoming more important for regional and local authorities across Europe as they are more involved with EU laws and policies. This research explored if regions, in this case a province of the Netherlands shared this belief. In fact, it did express the increased importance of the EU for the province and their need to seize the opportunities the EU offers while also contribute to the EU in terms of knowledge. The increased importance of the EU for the province and the institutionally recognized importance of multi-level governance in the EU are illustrated in the position of, and membership of the provinces in the Committee of the Regions. The Committee is the only institutional advisory body for the other EU institutions which represents regional and local interests. This research shows that provinces consider the Committee of the Regions an instrument to employ for their EU agenda. The importance of Europe is recognized in the Coalition Programme, but has not yet been acknowledged throughout the entire organisation. Despite or due to the position of the Committee of the Regions, it is not recognized to be a committee through which concrete goals can be achieved.

Abstract:

According to literature covering multi-level governance and Europeanisation the role of the European Union is becoming more important for regional and local authorities across Europe as they are more involved with EU laws and policies. This research explored if regions, in this case a province of the Netherlands shared this belief. In fact, it did express the increased importance of the EU for the province and their need to seize the opportunities the EU offers while also contribute to the EU in terms of knowledge. The increased importance of the EU for the province and the institutionally recognized importance of multi-level governance in the EU are illustrated in the position of, and membership of the provinces in the Committee of the Regions. The Committee is the only institutional advisory body for the other EU institutions which represents regional and local interests. This research shows that provinces consider the Committee of the Regions an instrument to employ for their EU agenda. The importance of Europe is recognized in the Coalition Programme, but has not yet been acknowledged throughout the entire organisation. Despite or due to the position of the Committee of the Regions, it is not recognized to be a committee through which concrete goals can be achieved.

Keywords

Committee of the Regions of EU, European policies

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 7. 9. 2015

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 7. 9. 2015
• Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Sebastiaan Princen
• Reader: Ph.D. Vratislav Havlík

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
International Territorial Studies / European Governance