Committee of The Regions - History

History

The idea for a representation of regions within the administration of the European Union relates to some regions' long history as autonomous regions or non-sovereign countries. Examples include Flanders as a egion of Belgium, the Basque Country, which lies in both north-eastern Spain and south-west France, Catalonia which lies in eastern Spain and south-east France. In the UK, Scotland and Wales are countries rather than regions and are recognised as such by the UK government. They are non-sovereign countries within the UK state with their own national institutions, and even more so today since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales. Northern Ireland is similarly recognised under the Good Friday Agreement, signed by the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, with the Northern Ireland Assembly. However due to the its geographical, historical, cultural and political relationships with the Republic of Ireland it is more often referred to as a "province". All of these places have growing or well established nationalistic sentiments (see Flemish Movement, Basque nationalism, Catalan nationalism, Galician nationalism, South Tyrol, United Ireland, Welsh self-government, Scottish independence and Cornish self-government movement).

Within the European Union regions had lobbied for an increased say in EU affairs, especially the German Länder. This resulted in the creation by the Maastricht Treaty of the Committee of the Regions, and provision for member states to be represented in the Council by ministers from their regional governments.