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European construction and French decentralisation have developed simultaneously and these two movements thought of themselves as being separate from each other. However, French local authorities were necessarily concerned by European law, as they are called on to apply it. With the Single European Act in 1986 and the development of a genuine European regional policy, local authorities have become essential players and the partners of the State. Becoming aware of the increasing number of European institution prerogatives, as well as of European funding policies, they have developed a political willingness to take part in European construction. This change has brought with it the emergence of new professions within local government (Europe units, Europe project managers), which have themselves helped to make their local authorities and locally elected politicians more aware of European issues, thus confirming the expanding role of local authorities in this area.