Jersey Finance have posted the following:  that Jersey and Guernsey are to establish an office in Caen to represent both islands' interests with French authorities.

The Bureau des Iles Anglo-Normandes replaces the Bureau de Jersey and will support relations with France in areas such as energy, fisheries, civil contingencies, transport links, tourism, education and language links, and business development.

Jersey's Minister for External Relations, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, said: "Our objective remains to maintain and further develop mutually beneficial links with Lower Normandy, Brittany, La Manche, and Ille-et-Vilaine.

"I am delighted that this new partnership with Guernsey will enable us to share the financial costs and will help us to build stronger relationships with the French central government in Paris."

The Bureau des Iles Anglo-Normandes (BIAN) is expected to be launched in early 2014 and will be funded jointly by Jersey and Guernsey.

Whilst the installation is a regional one, it is to be hoped that its presence on the French Mainland  will enable the Islands' status within the European Union and the European Communities to be correctly represented.

The rectification of the failings of the French parliamentary report on the TIEAs for both Islands prepared under the hand of Sénateur Alain Cousin, which completely misrepresented this, may be an important item on the Bureau's agenda, both in Normandy and later in Paris.

Its analysis of the EC relationship is wrong on virtually every point. For the report in French see : http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/13/rapports/r2568.asp

For reference full acknowledgement to http://www.jerseyfinance.je/news/Jersey-and-Guernsey-create-joint-French-bureau#.UqnUf-JFtRY