Abstract
Today Russia has difficulty doing business-as-usual with EU states. It seems that the countries of the Visegrad Group (V4) and the Baltic Assembly/Baltic Council of Ministers (BA/BСM) have contributed substantially to this state of affairs. Overall, the tensions between Russia and the EU are building up — another tendency that did not arise on the Russian initiative. This article aims to address the question of whether Russia should establish direct relations with the V4 and the BA/BCM as tools to overcome the mentioned difficulties. On the one hand, these associations date back to before the countries acceded to the Union. On the other, they are products of regionalisation in the EU. In answering this question, we achieve three objectives. Firstly, we look for an appropriate theoretical and methodological framework for the study. Secondly, we produce a comparative description of the V4 and the BA/BCM. Thirdly, we examine the capacity of these associations to pursue an independent foreign and domestic policy. This study uses a comparison method to analyse the activities of the two organisations and identify their significance for the EU.
Highlights
Since 2008 a wide reflection was organised within the European Committee of the Regions as to how a rather academic debate on the virtues of 'multilevel governance' could be translated into operational recommendations for EU policy design and implementation
On 17 June 2009, the CoR adopted its White paper on multilevel governance making concrete proposals as to how Europe can be built in partnership with regions and cities.[16]
In an EU context, multilevel governance (MLG) has been defined by the CoR as: "based on coordinated action by the EU, the Member States and regional and local authorities according to the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality and in partnership, taking the form of operational and institutionalised cooperation in the drawing-up and implementation of the European Union's policies"[26]
Summary
In its report on the implementation of the European economic recovery plan in regions and cities, the CoR's Lisbon Monitoring Platform (LMP) noted a lack of ownership and coordination in the implementation process of the plan. There is still scope for improvement in terms of cooperation between the grassroots level and the national/federal level on the one hand, and the EU level on the other.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
