The European Offices of the UK Local Authorities and Devolved Administrations After Brexit
摘要
Local authorities and devolved administrations have operated liaison offices and representations in Brussels since the 1980s. These offices confirm the existence of a significant subnational dimension to the EU integration process, which emerged in parallel with its national and supranational dimensions. Despite the exit of the UK from the EU, some UK substate authorities continue to operate Brussels-based offices today. What is the role of these offices post-Brexit? What are the reasons for their continuing presence in Brussels? What does their presence tell us about the impact of Brexit on the UK and the EU? These are the questions this chapter will attempt to answer. The study will show that whilst all the existing offices still monitor relevant EU policy developments, most offices have been morphing into funding and networking offices delivering essentially consultancy work around these matters. The study will also highlight that whilst one of the most important reasons for the offices to stay in Brussels is political (the desire to be present in Brussels to engage with the EU institutions and other partners), there are also other factors at play in the decision to remain in Brussels, for example economic, concerning specifically each part of the country. A further submission of this study is that the seizing of funding opportunities by the offices may play a bigger role in future, following the achievement by the UK of associate member status of Horizon Europe.