Administrative cooperation in local public services

The inter-municipal mechanisms for cooperation in public utilities in Spanish law are a heterogeneous scenario where several figures merge and may change their roles and functions from an autonomous regions (comunidad autonoma) to another, based in the role these regions play in the regulation of such mechanisms for cooperation. This situation has two sides to be taken into account to achieve the construction of the system: national legislation, whose rigidity has contributed to stagnation, and the limits that have origin in the European Union. In this context, this study is a consideration that identifies and specifies the issues to be addressed to achieve an overview on the current Spanish debate referred to the inter-municipal mechanisms of association, their functions, powers and freedom or mandatory over its conformation and income.