Governing Europe: the Status and Networking Strategies of Finnish, Estonian and German Subnational Offices in Brussels

Abstract

This article examines and compares the status of Estonian, Finnish and German regional and local EU offices. The research data stem from structured interviews. We are interested in the status of different actors and their strategies for positioning their ideas in the policy-making and law-making procedures. While local and regional actors established new forms of representation and co-operation with EU institutions, these new channels and institutions are not equally open and accessible to all. Whilst the number of actors in Brussels has increased, this does not necessarily mean that they are all included in the decision-making process itself. Furthermore, it is not only institutions that matter but the actors themselves, the people involved in the day-to-day construction of Europe and the personal networks they create. In contrast to German regional offices, the regions' power houses in Brussels, the institutional position of Finnish and Estonian offices is rather weak. However, to the extent that interaction takes place between the EU institutions and the regions, without the involvement of state actors, it is easy to see how certain decisions are pulled towards a regionally acceptable content. While size and institutional status matters, this is a world where a skilful actor can build his or her own networks, if he or she is in the right place at the right time and knows the right people.