As European integration proceeds, the role of regional parliaments in relation to the EU is in a state of flux. What sort of regional parliamentary co-operation is needed in the European Union? What sort of role can regional parliaments play in an evolving EU-centric Europe? 

These are among the questions the newly published report "Together or apart? The Nordic Council and the EU" seeks to answer. By taking the Nordic parliamentary co-operation as an example the report discusses ways in which regional parliaments can bring the regional dimension to bear in the European Union.

The report is published by think tank e2 in Helsinki and Centre Group in the Nordic Council – a party group comprised of a total of 17 centre, liberal, green and Christian democrat parties from the five Nordic countries. 

These are among the proposals that the report makes: 

• More cooperation and exchange of information between the European Parliament, regional parliaments and Member State parliaments

• Closer contacts between political groups in the European Parliament and regional parliaments 

• Networking of regional and national parliamentarians and Members of the European Parliament by political sectors

• Regional parliaments to be included in information networks for legislative initiatives in the European Union

• Observer status for representatives of regional parliaments in European Parliament committees

• Representative offices for regional parliaments in Brussels

• Upgrading of status of regional parliaments and solution to legitimacy problem through intergovernmental negotiations

The report is available in English, Swedish and Finnish.

Information and report orders:

Ms Bente Dahl, MP, chairman, Centre Group in the Nordic Council, rvbeda@ft.dk 

Terhi Tikkala, Secretary General, Centre Group in the Nordic Council, terhi.tikkala@eduskunta.fi, +358 50 434 5019

Karina Jutila, Director, Think Tank e2, karina.jutila@e2.fi, +358 50 551 5361