Regionalism
A region is a part of a country.Some federalists speak of a “Europe of the Regions”. Within a federal EU, the relevant political or administrative units would suit regions better than nation states. Talk of a “Europe of the Regions” partly reflects the desire to reduce the powers and functions of nation states by shifting governmental powers. Powers would be transferred upwards to the supra-national EU level and downwards to sub-regions within each national territory, or even to natural geographical or historical regions which do not match present nation-state borders. Such a Europe would bear some similarity to the Europe of many political units that existed in former times.
Notes
- The EU has a Committee of Regions, although this is a consultative body only.
- The EU’s regional policy is managed by a separate directorate, known as DG Regions, that advises on relevant issues.
- Some Regionalist parties are represented in the EU Parliament and belong to their own transnational party, European Free Alliance, EFA. In the EU Parliament, they sit with the Greens.
Links
http://www.greens-efa.org/