Confederation with federal or unitary states? [On economic and political cooperation]

[Die Neue Zeit]

Is it just me, or are we witnessing the emergence of confederations within federal or even unitary states?

By this, I mean provinces and regions delegating "certain of their competences (or powers) to common institutions, in order to coordinate their policies in a number of areas, without constituting a new state" (Wikipedia). So it could be an interprovincial or interregional economic bloc within the larger state, with maybe some of the more purely political responsibilities added on that aren't federal or central responsibility.

[RGacky3]

Empirical evidence? I don't get quite what your talking about, do you ahve examples?

[Die Neue Zeit]

From 2001:

http://www.tax-news.com/news/US_States_Pursue_Interstate_Agreements_On_Net_Sale s_Tax____6409.html


The Multistate Tax Commission, a group of state governments that works with taxpayers to administer tax laws that apply to multistate and multinational enterprises, last month embarked on a new study to focus on the costs of collecting sales tax.

Also:

http://law.justia.com/codes/us/title42/42usc5315.html


The consent of the Congress is hereby given to any two or more States to enter into agreements or compacts, not in conflict with any law of the United States, for cooperative effort and mutual assistance in support of community development planning and programs carried out under this chapter as they pertain to interstate areas and to localities within such States, and to establish such agencies, joint or otherwise, as they may deem desirable for making such agreements and compacts effective.

List of interstate compacts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_compact

[RGacky3]

I don't think its anything new perse, or even anything thats really significant in the bit picture.