Swiss and Norwegian regions in Brussels: How and why do the regions of associated member-states of the EU mobilize in Brussels?

Abstract

Why do the regions of Norway have regional offices in Brussels while the Swiss regions do not? The research done in the thesis features one of the first analyses done on regional mobilization from countries currently not member of the EU. This thesis starts with the assumption that there is some combination of full-member/associated member axis and the federal unitary axis that makes this difference in outcome. In using original interview data collected from eight regional offices from four states collected in Brussels. The interviews are then analyzed using comparable case analysis with MSSD. The conclusion suggests that it is the Norwegian membership of the EEA and Switzerland's bilateral treaties which produce the difference in outcome and further that the Norwegian offices are operating identical to the offices of EU member-states when viewed from a functional perspective.