Under the European Communities Regulation on the European Grouping of Territorial Co-operation (EGTC) and the UK 2007 regulations giving full effect to the European regulations, the initiative to participate in such a grouping lies with those bodies intending such participation. The regulations provide that any body wishing to become a member of such a grouping must first seek approval from the appropriate authority, which in the case of bodies formed under UK law is currently the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform