Spatial data needs in EU Regional Policy Hugo Poelman DG Regional and Urban Policy Economic Analysis and Policy Development Unit Brussels, 22/06/2018 1

Policy context Cohesion Policy investing in all regions of the EU Thematic focus on particular territories, e.g. cities, urban-rural relationships Cooperation component: border regions Monitoring and reporting requires harmonised, regular and timely data availability Legal reporting obligation: Cohesion Report every three years EU Urban Agenda: focus on monitoring and benchmarking of cities

Data framework Various territorial levels: NUTS regions, local administrative units, regular grid cells, typologies based on these units Eurostat as main data provider Continuously increasing role of geospatial data and analysis in developing indicators and typologies

Spatial data needs and uses cases Some highlights Territorial typologies Development of (new) indicators Enhancement of spatial resolution of quantitative data Project geolocation

Territorial typologies Development in cooperation with Eurostat, JRC and OECD Degree of urbanisation, definition of urban centres, cities, functional urban areas, border areas, etc. Based on 1 km² grid cells and on local administrative units (LAU2) Used for production of harmonised data and as framework for surveys Regular updates require authoritative, timely and harmonised boundary data on administrative units

Indicator development At regional, sub-regional, local and grid level Themes including accessibility, proximity to services, exposure and vulnerability, … Combining: Population distribution Land use / land cover Building units and their characteristics (use and height) Transport networks and infrastructure (road and rail)

Enhancing the spatial resolution of quantitative data High resolution of population (night-time and day-time) and employment data required for spatial analysis Modelling needed to overcome confidentiality limitations: spatial disaggregation Disaggregation informed by: Land use / land cover Building units (incl. use and height)

Project geolocation Georeferencing of major Cohesion Policy projects and of specific actions with a territorial focus (e.g. urban innovative actions) Requires reliable, up-to-date reference data: Addresses Administrative units Transport networks and related infrastructure

More information Territorial typologies: Indicator development: Cities and functional urban areas: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/focus/2012_01_city.pdf Degree of urbanisation: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/working-papers/2014/a-harmonised-definition-of-cities-and-rural-areas-the-new-degree-of-urbanisation Indicator development: Access to public transport in cities: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/working-papers/2015/measuring-access-to-public-transport-in-european-cities Access to urban green spaces: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/working-papers/2018/a-walk-to-the-park-assessing-access-to-green-areas-in-europe-s-cities Rail accessibility in border areas: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/working-papers/2017/passenger-rail-accessibility-in-europe-s-border-areas

High-resolution population data: Population in functional urban areas: https://bookshop.europa.eu/en/mapping-population-density-in-functional-urban-areas-pbLFNA28194/ Downscaling tests using building height: http://www.efgs.info/information-base/case-study/analyses/mapping-high-resolution-population-employment-data-urban-areas-tests-taking-account-height-functions-buildings Project geolocation: Major projects 2007-2013 and 2014-2020: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/mapapps/major_projects/mpall.html