Regionalverband

Regionalverband is a term used in German-speaking contexts for a regional-level association of municipalities and, in some cases, districts within a defined geographic area. It denotes a legally constituted body whose purpose is to coordinate planning and development tasks that cross municipal borders. The exact form, powers, and duties of a regionalverband vary by federal state, but they are typically established under state law as a public-law corporation or as an inter-municipal association.

Functions and tasks commonly attributed to regionalverbände include regional spatial planning and the preparation of cross-municipal land-use concepts, coordination of regional transport and infrastructure, housing and economic development, environmental protection, and sometimes cultural or tourism planning. They may also handle joint procurement, project management, or the implementation of programs funded by higher levels of government or the European Union.

Governance usually rests on a representative body composed of delegates from member municipalities and districts, a board or executive committee, and a managing director with professional staff. Financing comes from member contributions, statutory subsidies, and project-specific funds from state or federal sources and the EU.

Membership typically encompasses multiple municipalities and sometimes counties within the region. The regionalverband acts as a coordinating and planning entity rather than a centralized authority in all cases; its formal powers depend on the applicable state law and can range from advisory to administrative. The Ruhr Regionalverband (Regionalverband Ruhr) is one of the best-known examples in Germany, illustrating how such bodies organize cross-border cooperation and regional planning across a dense urban area.