Danish Paradiplomatic Activities in Brussels: _________________________ Does the Danish Regional Governments have an inde- pendent influence on the EU Common Agricultural Pol- icy or not? Case study on the Region of Central Den- mark. Master Thesis Development & International Relations Aalborg University Peter K. R. Hansen Study number: 20164058 Aalborg University 28/5/2021 Preface This Master Thesis is written by Peter Kristoffer Rødbro Hansen, 10th semester stu- dent at Aalborg University. The thesis supervisor is Wolfgang Zank. The thesis was written during the period between February 1st – May 28th, 2021. Thanks to The informants for contributing to this master thesis and for your time and interest. Political Advisor to MEP Asger Christensen for taking your time to participate in the interview. 1 Aalborg University 28/5/2021 Table of Contents Abstract: ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 1. Introduction: .............................................................................................................................................. 5 2. Empirical Overview ................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) ............................................................................................. 6 2.2 Lobbying in Brussels ............................................................................................................................. 7 2.3 Kommunernes Landsforening (KL) and Danske Regioner ............................................................... 9 2.4 Danish Regional EU Offices................................................................................................................ 10 2.5 Committee of the Regions ................................................................................................................... 11 2.6 Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) ............................................................ 11 2.7The European Council Congress for Local and Regional Authorities ............................................ 12 2.8 European Parliament .......................................................................................................................... 12 2.9 The Royal Danish Embassy in Brussels ............................................................................................. 13 2.10 Climatorium in Lemvig Municipality .............................................................................................. 13 2.11 Greenlab Skive ................................................................................................................................... 13 3. Theoretical Overview .............................................................................................................................. 14 3.1 Paradiplomacy ..................................................................................................................................... 14 3.2 Multi-level governance theory ............................................................................................................ 17 3.3 Social Constructivism .......................................................................................................................... 20 3.4 Rational Choice Theory ...................................................................................................................... 23 4. Methodology ............................................................................................................................................ 26 4.1 Initial thoughts ..................................................................................................................................... 26 4.2 Deductive Research ............................................................................................................................. 26 4.3 Data Collection ..................................................................................................................................... 27 4.3.1 Expert Interview ............................................................................................................................. 27 4.4 Research Method ................................................................................................................................. 29 4.4. Limitations .......................................................................................................................................... 30 5. Analysis ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 5.1 Hypothesis 1 ......................................................................................................................................... 31 5.1.2 Committee of the Regions .............................................................................................................. 31 5.1.3 Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) ........................................................... 33 5.1.4 Danish Regional EU Offices .......................................................................................................... 34 5.1.5 European Parliament....................................................................................................................... 35 5.1.6 The Danish Royal Embassy in Brussels ......................................................................................... 36 5.1.7 Climatorium in Lemvig Municipality ............................................................................................. 37 2 Aalborg University 28/5/2021 5.1.8 Greenlab Skive ............................................................................................................................... 39 5.1.9 Sub-Conclusion: ............................................................................................................................. 40 5.2 Hypothesis 2 .............................................................................................................................................. 41 5.2.1 Climatorium in Lemvig .................................................................................................................. 41 5.2.2 GreenLab Skive .............................................................................................................................. 43 5.2.3 Regional EU Offices ....................................................................................................................... 44 5.2.4 Committee of the Regions .............................................................................................................. 46 5.2.5 Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) ........................................................... 48 5.2.6 European Parliament....................................................................................................................... 49 5.2.7 The Royal Danish Embassy ............................................................................................................ 50 6.Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 51 7. Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 54 3 Aalborg University 28/5/2021 Abstract: This master thesis research question is Does the Danish Regional Governments have an inde- pendent influence on the EU Common Agricultural Policy or not? This master thesis examines Region Mid- tjylland as an integrated case study to scrutinize whether that specific region is in particular able to influence the EU CAP. I select Region Midtjylland as a case study due to personal experiences as an intern at the Cen- tral Denmark EU Office establishing presumed thoughts of the region's work with the green agenda. In the introduction, I present paradiplomacy as the overall thematic framework. I explain the thematic tendency of paradiplomacy and illuminate how sub-state actors increasingly engage in international and European affairs and why this phenomenon remains as important in today's diplomatic activities in Europe. Lastly, I explain why I have limited myself to focus on the danish regions as the analyzed sub-state actors and why I focus on the EU CAP. After the introduction, I conduct an 'empirical overview' providing descriptive explanations of initially the EU CAP at a glance, an overview of the lobbying phenomenon in Brussels, as well as descrip- tions of key pathways for danish regions to presumably influence the EU CAP. This counts for danish lobby- ist offices such as Kommunernes Landsforening, Danske Regioner, Danish Regional EU Offices as well as the danish MEPs in the parliament and the Danish Royal Embassy in Brussels. Among European organiza- tions, I present the Committee of the Regions, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, and The European Council Congress for Local and Regional Authorities. I selected these actors as they all have a common interest in pushing for a green agenda in Europe and all work to influence the EU's Green Agenda. Hereafter, I conduct the 'theoretical overview' where I present,