|
Territorial cohesion in the EU: new steps forward |
|
|
|
28-11-07
A series of actions and documents have given territorial cohesion a renewed importance within the European framework.
Firstly, the Treaty adopted in Lisbon on 18 October and which should be signed on 13 December explicitly adds territorial cohesion as a third dimension of regional policy (beside the social and economic dimensions). It should contribute to strengthening the role of local authorities and civil society at the EU level and recognise the impact of geographical disparities (islands, peripheral areas, sparsely populated areas) as well as territorial dynamics (development of pockets of poverty, polarisation of certain areas, suburbanisation phenomena).
Secondly, EU Ministers responsible for regional and spatial development have adopted on November 23rd the first action programme for the implementation of the territorial agenda of the EU.
Among others, the following priorities are outlined:
• to give a territorial and urban dimension to other sectoral policies of the EU. For instance, the ministers responsible for regional policy will prepare in Portugal a contribution to the Green paper on climate change adopted by the Commission in June, to highlight the importance of introducing the territorial dimension in this issue;
• To strengthen multi-level governance at EU and Member State level based on shared partnership between European, national, regional and local actors;
• To develop knowledge on spatial development at the EU level (territorial state, trends, policy impacts in the Member States). One of the programmes under Cohesion policy for 2007-2013, the European Spatial Planning Observation Network (ESPON), is specifically intended to build European scientific knowledge in the field of territorial development.
Lastly, the Commission will adopt a Green Paper on territorial cohesion in September 2008 and will open a large public consultation at the same time. It will provide an updated analysis on the disparities of the European territory and will start the debate on how to take better account of the territorial dimension within EU policies and programmes
|
