Luc Van den Brande

Luc Van de Brande talks to the Parliament Magazine about the launch of the 2010 Ryder cup and why the idea of “team Europe” is so important to the committee of the regions.

The committee of the regions recently hosted the launch of the 2010 Ryder cup, due to take place in Wales, one of the few sporting events with a European team. What attracts you about this idea of ‘team Europe’?

When we talk about a team, we are talking about people who are working together. You have individuals performing their different functions within the team, playing the same game. For me, it is the same for the EU, to aim for partnership over all decision-making levels. Of course, there can be some competition, because competition is good, but competition in the framework of team building is much better.

How do you think that this idea of more teamwork can influence the EU institutions?

Multi-level governance is a kind of team-spirit when it comes to decision-making. This is why I was delighted when the Welsh assembly asked me to help present the launch of the Ryder cup, because it is in the same spirit as our work in the committee of the regions. Of course, golf is not our core business, but at the same time, we can learn a lot from it; from the idea of a team, of working in partnership, learning to share decision-making and acknowledging and giving enough space to everybody.

Do you think that the sporting idea of “fair play” exists in the EU?

Firstly, for this to happen there must be respect. When it comes to sport, it is of course the general rule that we have to be fair. However, you can only be fair if you are able to give respect to the other people involved. Even respect to your counterparts. For that reason, I think that the basis of the EU is respect for each other’s autonomy, but at the same time respecting each other when it comes to achieving those things that we want to accomplish together.

How can this idea of respect be applied at the regional level?

I find that these days I am talking increasingly about subsidiarity. Subsidiarity is also a respect of sorts. You have vertical subsidiarity, which goes from the local level up to EU level. At the same time, there is also a horizontal aspect to subsidiarity. This involves trust being given to players not at the institutional level but in our societies. This is why, when I think of team-building, it is also a question of trust. You can’t play a good game without trust between the players. So we need to build on this relationship of trust, between the institutions but also at the level of our local and regional societies in the EU.

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