The Federal effect: the role of Federal Germany upon the development of European Union regional policies

Abstract

Germany, as the leading member of the EU, has federal administrative system and the lander have a great autonomy compared to regional governments in the unitary member states. Yet, by means of the welfare state policies in the 1960's, the federal government exercised an increasing power over the lander. Moreover, as a consequence of  European Union's state oriented approach, the lander could not participate EU's decision making processes influentially. In order to make a  change in this framework and  create a fertile sphere within EU for the  participation of sub state actors,  they insistently proposed  some fundamental policy shifts, and their proposals later became EU official policy, so  they pioneered for the emergence of  deeply rooted EU regional policies. Furthermore, the lander have an undeniable impact upon the development of regional administration in the unitary member states.