European and international

We work with councillors and local authorities to get the best deal from the European Union (EU) and worldwide. This work involves lobbying on future legislation, highlighting problems and opportunities and promoting the skills and knowledge of local government.

We are achieving greater devolution for local government:

• maximising the UK take of EU structural funds and for locally responsive delivery
• lobbying to reduce the red tape and inefficiency of EU procurement rules
• lobbying to simplify EU recycling rules and over-prescriptive new energy laws
• ensuring that the cost of EU workforce proposals is reduced
• arguing against VAT rules being harmonised across the EU
• arguing for a bigger role for local government in the delivery of UK aid.

We are helping councils tackle their challenges by learning from international practice and sharing this information with councils to inform LGA lobbying. For example:

• understanding the strengths and weaknesses of local versus central relations in other nations
• analysing local government finance systems abroad
• reviewing the economic development tools available to council leaders in other developed nations
• providing a national secretariat for UK councillors on the EU Committee of Regions and Congress.

Brussels offer

Local government have benefitted from many EU funding streams and European regulations impact upon our services daily. Thus, councils have been active in Brussels as so many decisions there affect our day job. 

Over the last year, the offices representing English regions and sub-regions in Brussels have been much reduced, as much of this work was financed by RDAs. While this has undoubtedly removed some duplication of effort, the LGA has made an offer to councils to ensure that they can continue to receive timely intelligence to on funding opportunities and future regulation.

The LGA will continue to provide a ‘national service' that councils can rely on. We lobby EU decision makers, provide funding data and support councils who have to do business in Brussels. While we cannot assist on individual funding applications, we can offer meeting space and hot-desks for any council that has to do business at the EU.

We want to ensure that we continue to influence the EU when it affects our day job. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact: george.moody@local.gov.uk.