Royal brings French regions fight to EU

Sègolene Royal, a favourite to lead the centre-left opposition in 2007 French presidential elections, has carried a battle over decentralisation to the EU.

Royal, along with other French regional politicians, appealed to the European commission over national political battle involving EU funds.

European commission president José Manuel Barroso heard protests over a French government’s decision to keep EU regional cash under central control.

The initiative has raised eyebrows in the ranks of French right-wing MEPs, most French regions lean to the left and Brussels does not have competence to appoint the administrative authorities in charge of EU money.

After the commission’s meeting, Royal, the president of the French region of Poitou-Charentes advocated her approach in front of French MEPs.

“Regions are accountable, that is the core of an efficient Europe” Royal has said. “It is about being more efficient and that EU funds arrive quicker to ensure European projects you have voted for.”

Centre-right MEP Marielle De Sarnez, warned Royal of the risks of bringing “a French political row” onto the EU stage.

“We agree with the idea of decentralising the control of EU money but this is a Franco-French issue to sort out in France”, De Sarnez said.

“France needs recover its closeness with Europe and not to make it a political stake”.

Royal reported that Barroso had “opened a door for a direct dialogue between regions and the commission”.

“For employment and environment we need a partner,” she said blaming the Paris administration for being inefficient.

In the meantime Royal’s rival for the socialist ticket in French presidential elections, Laurent Fabius, was meeting heads of European political parties to talk about how to relaunch the EU constitution.

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