A Baltic interface in Brussels

by Dr. Reinhard Boest

The Information Office (established in October 1991) is a unit within the Department of European and External Affairs of the State Chancellery of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The activities of the office are therefore first of all determined by the responsibilities and main sectors of interest of the government of the Land. The Information Office is also a contact point for the local authorities, enterprises, associations, educational, training and research institutions, and the citizens of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. As Baltic Sea issues are also on the European Agenda, it has become particularly important for the regional actors to be present in Brussels.

The importance of the work of the European Institutions and its impact on the regional and local level are often underestimated. This is certainly one of the reasons for the weak participation in the European elections. In fact, Brussels is today more than ever the place, where decisions are made. The policy-making in Brussels is the European domestic policy. The German Constitution guarantees an important role to the Länder in European affairs where their powers or interests are affected. Early information and the evaluation of the developments at European level are an important pre-condition to make use of these participatory rights and justify the presence of regional offices in Brussels.

The tasks of the office are:

• to inform government of the Land and public authorities about current developments, measures and proceedings taken at European level
• to prepare visits of members of the government of the Land, Parliament or administration in Brussels
• to support and advise private and public bodies, in particular local authorities, in their contacts with EU institutions, including acquisition of European project funding
• to organise seminars and meetings in Brussels
• to represent the Land at EU level and draw the attention of the institutions to specific interests and concerns of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
• to present Mecklenburg-Vorpommern providing information about economy, research, tourism and cultural diversity of the Land
• networking.