Paradiplomacy
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Paradiplomacy is the involvement of non-central governments in international relations. The phenomenon includes a variety of pratices, from town twinning to transational networking, decentralized cooperation, and advocacy in international summits. Following the movement of globalisation, non-central governments have been playing increasingly influential roles on the global scene, connecting across national borders and developing their own foreign policies. Regions, states,
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
s and cities seek their way to promote cooperation, cultural exchanges, trade and partnership, in a large diversity of ways and objectives depending on their decentralization, cultural, and socio-economical contexts. This trend raises new interesting questions concerning
public international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
and opens a debate on the global governance regime, and the evolution of the nation-led system that has provided the grounds for the international political order in the last centuries. The term combines the Greek word "para" (παρα) and "diplomacy" to imply actions ''along'', ''aside'', ''apart'' and even, ''despite'' and ''against'' national diplomacy. If the term "paradiplomacy" has sometimes been used to refer to informal track-two diplomacy, its definition has cristallized in the 1980's through the work of
Ivo Duchacek Ivo is a masculine given name, in use in various European languages. The name used in western European languages originates as a Normannic name recorded since the High Middle Ages, and the French name Yves is a variant of it. The unrelated So ...
and Panayotis Soldatos, proposing the clear definition of "direct and indirect entries of non-central governments into the field of international relations". The academic field of paradiplomatic studies is nonetheless suffering from fragmentation and terminological scatterdness, resulting both from ongoing debates within scholars, and from the diversity of terms characterizing subnational governments worldwide. Other current denominations for paradiplomacy and related concepts can be multilayered diplomacy, substate diplomacy, decentralized cooperation, people-to-people diplomacy and intermestic affairs. This latter concept expresses a growing trend to the internationalization of domestic ("") issues, which takes local and regional concerns to the central stage of international affairs. The intentions of subnational governments are diverse and depend on the level of devolution of power form the central government following the principle of subsidiarity, and from the level of local democracy defined by
decentralization Decentralization or decentralisation is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those regarding planning and decision making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group. Conce ...
laws. Some subnational governments engage in paradiplomatic activities to promote development by exploring complementarity with partners facing similar problems, with a view to joining forces to arrive at solutions more easily. In addition, they can explore opportunities alongside international organizations that offer assistance programs for local development projects, with ideas of cross-cultural connexions and reciprocity.


History of paradiplomacy

The global involvement of subnational government is often linked with the post-war town twinning movement, but can actually be traced back even further. Throughout history, cities and towns ''“have played a central role economically, politically, and culturally in all human societies and precede nation states by some 5,000 years”''. The historical role and stability of cities can be noted when compared to modern forms of central governance, and the recent appearance of “Westphalian” nation-states four centuries ago, binding subnational governments to the sovereignty of nations. The first envoys of non-sovereign subnational governments acting as diplomatic representatives can be traced back to the second half of the nineteenth century, with delegates of overseas colonial governments settling in Paris or London. And the first formal diplomatic agreement involving a subnational government may have been signed in 1907 between the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo and the country of Japan, for immigration management purposes. Cultural motivations led to the first city-to-city twinnings in 1918 between European localities – a growingly popular form of subnational cooperation later labelled “people-to-people diplomacy” by US President
Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
.
Town twinning A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...
became an officially recognized instrument of peace and reconciliation in the aftermath of the second world war, inciting a lasting dynamic that led to more than 11.000 twinnings worldwide in the 1990’s, and reaching over 40.000 partnerships today. Formal cross-border connections also intensified with Europe’s post-war efforts to overcome the defensive legacy of frontiers, fostering peaceful transborder relations through formal economic and cultural agreements. Generally facilitated by a decentralization process, the following decades saw a variety of transborder agreements worldwide, such as between US and Canadian states in the 1980’s, between Russian and Japanese provinces in the 1990’s, and between Spanish, French and Italian neighbor regions from 1992 and onward. A trend that led to numerous collaborations and agreements for migration and cultural purposes, but also for the management of environmental resources and issues transcending regional limitations and nations’ borders. Parallel to bilateral forms of cooperation, multilateralism also developed at the local scale. In 1913, the first transnational network of local governments was created in
Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded i ...
(Belgium) in the form of a global municipal movement : the Union Internationale des Villes. This network then became the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA) in 1928. Other transnational networks appeared following the second World War to foster bonds between localities worldwide, such as Sister Cities International in 1956, Arab Towns organization in 1957, Union of African Cities in 1975, French-Speaking Mayors Association in 1979, etc. The creation of the Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development in 2002 (now Regions4) also illustrates how provinces and regions alongside cities formalized their global involvement through transnational networking. A phenomenon that has led to the creation of more than 300 networks linking localities and regions within and across all continents. The dynamic of subnational governments’ global involvement has been gradually acknowledged by international institutions. At continental scale, this led for example to the creation of the European Conference of Local Authorities in 1957, allowing for territorial authorities to complement (or counterweight) the so far nation-led Council of Europe. At the global scale, progressive recognition of the subnational level by the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
led in 1996 to the organization of WACLA – the first World Assembly of Cities and Local Authorities, gathering more than 500 Mayors from around the world along the Habitat II conference in Istanbul. The assembly then laid ground to the creation of two major organizations. First, the United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA) got created in 1999 by the Commission on Human Settlements, aiming to facilitate the dialogue of subnational governments with the UN System. This Committee claims today to represent on the global stage around 323.000 institutions of all scales through its member organizations. Second, the global network named
United Cities and Local Governments United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is an umbrella international organisation for cities, local and regional governments, and municipal associations throughout the world that is concerned with representing and defending the interests of ...
(UCLG) emerged in 2004, with the mission to “promote and represent local governments on the world stage”. UCLG has since worked both as a network counting more than 240.000 members worldwide, and as an advocacy platform, initiating the creation of the complementary coordination mechanism Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments in 2013.


Context

Paradiplomacy may be performed both in support of and in complementarity to the central state conducted
diplomacy Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. ...
, or come in conflict or compete with it. In 1990,
Ivo Duchacek Ivo is a masculine given name, in use in various European languages. The name used in western European languages originates as a Normannic name recorded since the High Middle Ages, and the French name Yves is a variant of it. The unrelated So ...
pointed out a distinction between different types of paradiplomatic engagements: a) cross-border regional paradiplomacy, b) transregional paradiplomacy and c) global paradiplomacy, to describe: a) contacts between non-central units situated across borders in different states, b) contacts between non-central units without a common border but situated in neighboring states and c) contacts between units belonging to states without common borders. An additional type labelled d) "protodiplomacy" implies actions motivated by separatist/secessionnist objectives - also framed as "sovereignty paradiplomacy" in the more recent typology proposed by
Rodrigo Tavares Rodrigo Tavares (26 December 1978) is a Portuguese-born academic, finance professional, and public administrator. Previously, he was Head of Foreign Affairs of the São Paulo state government. Biography He received his Ph.D. in Peace and Develop ...
. A comprising view of the phenomenon should also consider formal and informal contacts in a wide range of multilateral associations of local authorities, and their growing presence in global summits and governance instances. Non-central governments may formally develop official international relations by: a) sending delegations in official visits; b) signing agreements, memoranda of understanding and other instruments; c) participating in international "local" fora; d) establishing permanent representative offices or delegations abroad. Local governments seek international cooperation for a diversity of reasons, such as economic, cultural or political. They can engage in such actions within or parallel to the frame of national foreign policies, usually following principles of subsidiarity as local scales hold specific capacities in territorial management and planning that can complement national expertise. In the cultural field, some regions may seek to promote themselves internationally as an autonomous cultural entity - a form of "identity paradiplomacy" as framed by Stephane Paquin. This can be the case for the Spanish
autonomous communities eu, autonomia erkidegoa ca, comunitat autònoma gl, comunidade autónoma oc, comunautat autonòma an, comunidat autonoma ast, comunidá autónoma , alt_name = , map = , category = Autonomous administra ...
of
Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...
and the Basque Country. Some regions may seek to cooperate with their diasporas worldwide and try to gain the support of their nationals abroad in attaining their diplomatic goals. As to the political aspects, local governments may join efforts internationally to pressure their central governments into a desired course of action. This strategy is exemplified in the case of eight memoranda of understanding signed, in the years 1980, between three American states and three Canadian provinces to control and combat acid rain, as the Reagan Administration and the American Congress could not reach a consensus on the matter. The cross-borders paradiplomatic efforts eventually led Washington to amend the Clean Air Act in 1990 and to sign with Canada, in 1991, the US/Canada Air Quality Agreement in which both countries agree on a timetable to reduce acid emissions. A particular kind of local political activism is called "protodiplomacy", through which a local government may seek international support for their emancipation or independence plans. This is typically the case of the Canadian province of Québec in the seventies, under the
Parti Québécois The Parti Québécois (; ; PQ) is a sovereignist and social democratic provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. The PQ advocates national sovereignty for Quebec involving independence of the province of Quebec from Canada and establishin ...
. Non-central governments may be allowed to negotiate and sign agreements with foreign non-central authorities or even with the government of a foreign state. Conditions can vary largely from a limited capacity to negotiate with the assistance of their central authorities to a most complete autonomy based on sovereign constitutional prerogatives. This can not be the object of the international law. Only the internal law of the states is to determine which internal powers are entitled to do so and to which extent. In some states, the outward relations of their non-central governments is a constitutional matter directly related to the issue of legal competence.


Decentralized Cooperation

The concept of decentralized cooperation is mostly in use in the European context and seen as an instrument of international development aid, although its precise definition can vary from country to country. It is generally understood as "''aid extended by local and regional governments to reinforce capacities and service delivery in partner authorities''". In France, it is framed within the ''"territorial collectivities' international action"'' and corresponds to bilateral partnerships formalized through conventions and agreements.


City diplomacy

In recent years the term city diplomacy has gained increased usage and acceptance, particularly as a strand of paradiplomacy and public diplomacy. It is formally used in the workings of the
United Cities and Local Governments United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is an umbrella international organisation for cities, local and regional governments, and municipal associations throughout the world that is concerned with representing and defending the interests of ...
and the
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group – The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is a group of 97 cities around the world that represents one twelfth of the world's population and one quarter of the global economy. Created and led by cities, C40 is focused on fighting climate change a ...
and recognised by the
USC Center on Public Diplomacy The USC Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) was established in 2003 as a partnership between the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences' School of International Relations at the Universit ...
. A March 2014 debate in the British
House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
acknowledged the evolution of town twinning into city diplomacy, particularly around trade and tourism, but also in culture and post- conflict reconciliation. São Paulo has aggressively pursued ‘city-diplomacy’ and has not only become the first subnational government in the Southern Hemisphere to sign direct bilateral agreements with the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and Britain. It has also been crowned
Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
n State of the Future 2018–19.


Federalism

Federative countries ordinarily set apart in their constitutions, when it comes to the internal division of powers, matters that are exclusive of the central authority. "National defense", "currency" and "external relations" are typically the case. However, as cross-border contacts become an imperative for sub-national communities, diplomacy is increasingly becoming a decentralized prerogative. Some states do formally recognize the stakes their political and administrative units have in foreign affairs and have, accordingly, set the required legal basis at a constitutional level. Legal provisions on this matter are present in the constitution of the following federations: *
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
*
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
*
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
*
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
*
Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
* Switzerland *
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...


Paradiplomacy by country

Paradiplomacy being a very context-specific global phenomenon, the following section is not exhaustive and only illustrates a few examples linked to their national context.


Argentina

Since 1994, an amendment to the '' Constitución de la Republica'' allows the
provinces of Argentina Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three federated states called provinces ( es, provincias, singular ''provincia'') and one called the autonomous city (''ciudad autónoma'') of Buenos Aires, which is the federal capital of the republic ( e ...
(articles 124 and 125) to establish treaties and agreements with foreign nations to the effect of the administration of justice, economic interest or common utility works. Those treaties are "partial" (non-political) and must not contravene national law, affect the nation's public credit nor go against the external policies of the Argentine nation. It must also be approved by the National Congress.


Austria

The
Constitution of Austria The Constitution of Austria (german: Österreichische Bundesverfassung) is the body of all constitutional law of the Republic of Austria on the federal level. It is split up over many different acts. Its centerpiece is the Federal Constitutional ...
restricts the states' capacity to establish formal external ties to cross-border issues. Article 16 of the reformed tex

(28. June 2002) allows the '' Austrian states, Länder'' (states) to conclude treaties with neighboring states or with its constituent states in matters of their constitutional competence. The governor of the Land must inform the federal government from whom he must obtain authorization before engaging in international negotiations. If the federal government fails to respond within eight weeks, the request will be deemed to have been approved. The approval, whether express or tacit, obliges the Federal President to the agreed text, which must be countersigned by a federal authority. However, upon request of the federal government, the ''Länder'' must denounce the treaty. If the Land does not dully complies with its obligation, the federal government overtakes the responsibility. Paragraphs 4 and 5 of Article 16 regulate further the competencies of the ''Länder'' and of the federal state in the implementation of treaties.


Bosnia and Herzegovina

1995
Dayton Agreement The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement or the Dayton Accords ( Croatian: ''Daytonski sporazum'', Serbian and Bosnian: ''Dejtonski mirovni sporazum'' / Дејтонски миро ...
which ended the Bosnian War formally acknowledged the high degree of subsidiarily decentralised powers for two composite entities, including the right to establish ''special parallel relations'' with neighboring countries consistent with sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
. In 1997
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is locat ...
and what was then
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Serbia and Montenegro ( sr, Cрбија и Црна Гора, translit=Srbija i Crna Gora) was a country in Southeast Europe located in the Balkans that existed from 1992 to 2006, following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yu ...
(Serbia and Montenegro) signed the Agreement on Special Parallel Relations which after the 2006 independence of Montenegro led to development of Republika Srpska–Serbia relations. While not provided in the Dayton Agreement, since 2009 Republika Srpska opened a number of ''representative offices'' in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
, Stuttgart,
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
,
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
,
Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
,
Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, and
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
. The policy was criticized by the Bosniak political representatives as a further proof of efforts in direction of proposed secession of Republika Srpska.


Belgium

A
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
1993
constitutional A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these prin ...
revision granted Regions and Communities the right to develop international co-operation, including the celebration of treaties, in matters of their exclusive competence (article 167 (3)). Cultural and educational matters are, according to article 127 (3), those fields of their exclusive competence. This faculty includes the drafting of treaties, which are ratified by the French and the Flemish Community Councils by decree (article 128 (1.1)). Article 130 (4) provides the same right to the German-speaking Community, and adds "personal issues" to its fields of competence. Since the Communities have acquired exclusive right to develop their international relations on those exclusive matters, the King cannot sign, ratify or denounce treaties on their behalf. Only the treaties concluded before 18 May 1993 may be denounced by the King. The rigidity of Belgium sphere of competences raised legal difficulties to the approval of international treaties dealing with both federal and community's issues. These treaties are known as ''traités mixtes'', and is the object of a co-operation agreement between the federal state, the Communities and the Regions (8 Mars 1994), which provides for a complex mechanism of shared responsibilities.


Canada

Canadian provinces are among the most active sub-national units on the international stage. The total amount spent on diplomacy by the ten Canadian provinces is equal to that of the fifty American states, despite the fact Canada's population is one-ninth the size and the economy is only one-fourteenth as large. Canadian provinces are largely motivated by economic concerns stemming from the high degree of economic diversity between regions of the country and because of Canada's integration into world markets, especially the US market via NAFTA. Nine of the ten provinces trade more with the United States than with the rest of Canada. Relations with major trading partners, most especially the United States, are the most important. At the same time Quebec nationalism has motivated the French-speaking province of Quebec to pursue closer ties with France and the other members of
la Francophonie LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...
. Furthermore, Canada's constitution is generally interpreted in a decentralist way, giving the provinces a great deal of responsibilities. While Quebec has the strongest paradiplomatic presence,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
and
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...
formerly operated economic trade offices abroad;
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
operated a tourism office in
Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropo ...
until 2009.
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
formerly had representation in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
and
Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
; it continues to promote the province's industries from delegations in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
and
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...


Germany

The
Basic Law of Germany The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the constitution of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The West German Constitution was approved in Bonn on 8 May 1949 an ...
states in its article 32(3) that "Insofar as the '' Länder'' have power to legislate, they may, with the consent of the Federal Government, conclude treaties with foreign states". The federal government must consult with the Länder, "in sufficient time", before concluding an international treaty that affects the special interest of one or more Länder. Article 59(2) requires the consent or participation of the Bundesrat (the German senate), as one of the "bodies competent in any specific case", on the approval of Treaties "which regulate the political relations of the Federation or relate to matters of Federal legislation". The German Bundesrat has been especially keen to assure the participation of the Länder in the European decision-making process.


Kingdom of Denmark

The Faroese Government has representative offices in Copenhagen, Brussels, London, Moscow and Reykjavik working closely with Danish Embassies. The office in Brussels also acts a point of liaison with the European Union. The Greenlandic Government has representative offices in Copenhagen, Brusseles, Reykjavik and Washington D. C. working closely with Danish Embassies. The office in Brussels also acts a point of liaison with the European Union.


Russia and the Soviet Union

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
, the world's most extensive state, shows a tradition of conveying the weight of its territorial units to foster external policy objectives. The
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
is the only country ever to have subnational entities (the
Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...
and Byelorussian SSR) recognized as member states in the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
, which lasted from 1945 to 1991 (see: Ukraine and the UN). That situation was not to be reflected in constitutional law until the 1977 Soviet Constitution stipulated that a
Union republic The Republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Union Republics ( rus, Сою́зные Респу́блики, r=Soyúznye Respúbliki) were national-based administrative units of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( ...
"has the right to enter into relations with other states, conclude treaties with them, exchange diplomatic and consular representatives, and take part in the work of international organizations" (article 80). The new text went as far as to formally declare that each Union republic "shall retain the right freely to secede from the USSR" (Article 72), which all republics ultimately exercised in 1991. The 1993
Constitution of the Russian Federation The Constitution of the Russian Federation () was adopted by national referendum on 12 December 1993. Russia's constitution came into force on 25 December 1993, at the moment of its official publication, and abolished the Soviet system of gov ...
does not explicitly confer its non-central authorities the same rights, but one can see from article 72 that "coordination of the international and external economic relations of the subjects of the Russian Federation" (n) belongs to the joint jurisdiction of the Russian Federation and the subjects of the Russian Federation, and that, according to paragraph 2, this provision "shall equally apply to the republics, territories, regions, federal cities, the autonomous region and autonomous areas".


Switzerland

Article 54 of the
Swiss Constitution The Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation (SR 10; german: Bundesverfassung der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft (BV); french: Constitution fédérale de la Confédération suisse (Cst.); it, Costituzione federale della Confederaz ...
states that foreign relations are a federal matter. However, the cantons shall be considered, having they a say in the preparation of decisions of foreign policy concerning their competencies or their essential interests, whenever they are affected, and participate in international negotiations as appropriate, as stated in Article 55. The cantons may also conclude treaties with foreign countries within the domain relevant to their competencies, provided they are not contrary to the law and interests of the Federation nor to the right of other cantons. They may deal directly with subordinated foreign authorities, but treaties concluded with foreign nations can only be signed by the central authorities (Article 56). Article 147 reinforces the cantons' role in Swiss foreign affairs by stating that "the cantons (...) are heard in the course of the preparation of important decrees and other projects of substantial impact, and on important international treaties". Provisions concerning mandatory and optional referendums concerning the entry of Switzerland into organizations for collective security, into supranational communities or the implementation of some international treaties (Articles 140, 141 and 141a) may also imply cantonal participation if such referendum is proposed by eight cantons.


United Kingdom

The Scottish Government has offices in Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, London, Paris and Washington D.C.. The
Welsh Government , image = , caption = , date_established = , country = Wales , address = , leader_title = First Minister () , appointed = First Minister approved by the Senedd, ceremonially appointed ...
operates trade missions, working closely with British Embassies. The office in Brussels also acts a point of liaison with the European Union.


United States

Having established that the power to make treaties and conduct external affairs belong to the
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
and the
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
, the first federal constitution sets an array of prohibitions to the States in Section 10 of Article I. The states shall not "enter into any
Treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pe ...
,
Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
, or
Confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
". However, the third paragraph of the same Section 10 opens the possibility for the States to engage in international affairs by stating that "no State shall, without the Consent of Congress, ..enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay". A double negation ("''no'' State shall, ''without'' the Consent of Congress") implies that they are actually allowed to "compact with a foreign Power", as long as the Congress sanctioned those acts. This control was meant to assure that international commitments contracted by the States were not against the federal law.


China

In strict sense, China does not engage in paradiplomacy. It is considered a phenomenon of "multilayered diplomacy". In spite of the active role Chinese provincial, municipal and district leaders play on the diplomatic field, these government officials do not act on behalf of local political groups or from a merely “local” perspective. They are indeed extensions of the central government, carrying out policies outlined by the Communist Party as long as their interests are convergent with those of Beijing. This is evidenced by the fact that the internationalization of Chinese non-central governments was primarily a creative product of the international isolation of the Chinese central government caused by the 1989 Tiananmen crisis. However, this does not mean that local needs and priorities are disregarded as secondary. Local particularities are to be heeded as well. Being a unitary political system, provincial and municipal administrations are expected to pursue China's foreign policies concerning trade, investment, culture, education, tourism and sports. The existence of
ethnic minorities The term 'minority group' has different usages depending on the context. According to its common usage, a minority group can simply be understood in terms of demographic sizes within a population: i.e. a group in society with the least number o ...
accounts for the creation of the five provincial-level autonomous regions, which enjoy a high degree of autonomy. There is no text of law regulating diplomatic activities carried out by local authorities. In fact, those relations are agreed upon among local governments, local permanent committees of the Communist Party and local Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) subordinated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic initiatives at local level can be initiated and undertaken by any of those administrative bodies. Friendship associations, usually under the management of the FAOs, act to promote contacts with non-central governments abroad and organizing events on international cooperation. Twinning agreements are widely observed as a means to establish permanent links with non-central governments elsewhere.


See also

* De facto embassy *
Town twinning A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...


References


Notes


Sources

* TAVARES, Rodrigo. Paradiplomacy: Cities and States as Global Players. Oxford University Press, 2016. . * MCMILLAN, Samuel Lucas. The Involvement of State Governments in U.S. Foreign Relations. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. * CHALOUX, Annie et Paquin, Stéphane. "Green Paradiplomacy in North America : Successes and Limits of the NEG-ECP", in Bruyninckx, Hans (éd.), Happaerts, Sander (éd.) et Brande, Karoline van den (éd.). Sustainable Development and Subnational Governments : Policy-Making and Multi-Level Interactions. Houndmills (Royaume-Uni), Palgrave Macmillan, 2012, p. 217-236. (Communication présentée lors d'un atelier table-ronde, tenu à l'Université catholique de Louvain, le 23 juin 2010). (HC 79 E5 S964b 2012, Québec) * AMEN, Mark, et al. (Eds). Cities and Global Governance: New Sites for International Relations. Ashgate, 2011. * CRIEKEMANS, David.(Ed.) Regional Sub-State Diplomacy Today. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2010. * PAQUIN, Stéphane and Chaloux, Annie. "La paradiplomatie multilatérale du Québec aux États-Unis", in Lachapelle, Guy (éd.). Le destin américain du Québec : américanité, américanisation et anti-américanisme. Québec, Presses de l'Université Laval, 2010, p. 239-312. (Prisme). (FC 2919 D476 2010, Québec) * * PAQUIN, Stéphane and Christian Lequesne, « Federalism, Paradiplomacy and Foreign Policy: A Case of Mutual Neglect», International Negotiation, No.22, pp. 183–204http://www.stephanepaquin.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Lequesne-Paquin-paradiplomacy.pdf. * PAQUIN, Stéphane and Guy Lachapelle, Mondialisation et gouvernance : les nouvelles stratégies subétatiques (avec Guy Lachapelle), Québec, Presses de l’Université Laval, 2004, 234 p. * PAQUIN, Stéphane and Guy Lachapelle, « Why do sub-states and regions practice international relations», Stéphane Paquin & Guy Lachapelle (dirs.), Mastering Globalization: New States’ Strategies in the World Economy, London, Routledge, 2005, p. 77-89. * PAQUIN, Stéphane, « Paradiplomatie identitaire en Catalogne et les relations Barcelone-Madrid », Études internationales, vol. XXXIII, no 1, 2002, p. 57-98. * KEATING, Michael, Paradiplomacy and Regional Networking, conference organized by the Forum of Federations: an International Federalism, Hannover, October 2000. * CORNAGO, Noé, "Diplomacy and Paradiplomacy in the Redefinition of International Security: Dimensions of Conflict and Co-operation", in: *Keating, Paradiplomacy in Action. London: Frank Cass, 1999. * FRY, Earl H. The Expanding Role of State and Local Governments in U.S. Foreign Affairs. New York: Council of Foreign Relations Press, 1998. * HOBBS, Heidi H. City Hall Goes Abroad: The Foreign Policy of Local Politics. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 1994. * HOCKING, Brian. Localizing Foreign Policy, Non-central Governments and Multilayered Diplomacy, Palgrave Macmillan, 1993. * DEHOUSSE, R. Fédéralisme et Relations Internationales, Bruylant, Bruxelles, 1991, p. 102. * SOLDATOS, Panayotis, "An Explanatory Framework for the Study of Federal States as Foreign-policy Actors" In: Federalism and International Relations: the Role of Subnational Units. Ed. Hans MICHELMANN e Panayotis, SOLDATOS. Oxford. Clarendon Press, 1990. * MICHELMANN, Hans J. and Panayotis Soldatos. (Eds) Federalism and International Relations: The Role of Subnational Units. Oxford: Clarendon Press. * DUCHACEK, Ivo., Perforated Sovereignties and International Relations, Trans-Sovereign Contacts of Subnational Governments, Greenwood Press. DUCHACEK, I., The Territorial Dimension of Politics: Within, Among, and Across Nations (Boulder and London: Westview Press). * LAGASSE, Charles-Etienne, Le Système des Rélations Internationales dans la Belgique Fédéral, Textes et Pratiques. Centre de Recherche et d´Information Socio-Politique, p. 32. Bruxelles. * SMITH, Nancy Paige, "Paradiplomacy Between the U. S. and Canadian Provinces: the Case of Acid Rain Memoranda of Understanding". Journal of Bordelands Studies, Vol III, Nr 1, p. 17. * KEISER, Robert., Subnational Governments as Actors in International Relations: Federal Reforms and Regional Mobilization in Germany and the United States, Stuttgart, 2000. * LESSA, José V. S., Paradiplomacia no Brasil e no Mundo, O Poder de Celebrar tratados dos Governos Não Centrais, Editora UFV, Viçosa, Brasil, 2007. * ALEXEEV, M., Russia's Periphery in the Global Arena: Do Regions Matter in the Kremlin's Foreign Policy?, San Diego State University, October 2000. * SCHIAVON, Jorge. Comparative Paradiplomacy. 1st ed. Federalism Studies. London: Routledge, 2018.


External links


Paradiplomatic Affairs

Paradiplomacia.ORG
* https://web.archive.org/web/20120225140555/http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/CulturaDepartament/SSCC/RELEXT/Noticies/Documents/Arxiu/programa.pdf * http://perrypada.blogspot.com/2006/04/intermestic-affairs-theoretical.html * http://www.euractiv.com/en/france/paradiplomacy-heady-cocktail/article-109912 * http://www.patnet2003.alaska.edu/pdf/papers/Mingus%20full%20paper.pdf * http://www.stefanwolff.com/working-papers/Paradiplomacy.pdf * https://web.archive.org/web/20100921170915/http://www.iesam.csic.es/doctrab2/dt-0106.htm * http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/usca/index.html * http://nico-mundo.blogspot.com/2008/01/paradiplomacia.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20111001105634/http://www.diplomacy.edu/Conferences/MFA/papers/criekemans.pdf * http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/3/1/1/7/5/pages311753/p311753-1.php * https://web.archive.org/web/20110706083258/http://www.cea.unc.edu.ar/boletin/n-anteriores/005/articulo1-pdf.pdf {{Diplomacy Types of diplomacy