Current orientations on territorial cohesion in policy development A member state perspective Peter Schmeitz The Netherlands ESPON seminar crete
Context ESDP Third Cohesion report 2nd report: territorial cohesion SUD/CDCR (comitology) Common document (“mermaids”) ESPON seminar crete
Territorial Challenges EU enlargement: huge territorial disparities Growing European territorial dynamics Unbalanced and unsustainable development (Art. 2 EU treaty) Lisbon strategy not fulfilled ESPON seminar crete
Need for action at EU level “managing EU territorial dimension” ESDP is first attempt but: general + focus on EU-15 Lisbon strategy lacks territorial development dimension Concept of territorial cohesion ESPON seminar crete
What is territorial cohesion? Territorial dimension of cohesion Strategic dimension: “balanced and sustainable development of EU territory” Space based dimension: area specific policies and investments ESPON seminar crete
How to manage the territorial dimension of EU policies? Innovations in: EU governance/policy process EU cohesion investments ESPON seminar crete
Territorial Governance at EU level EU convention: mixed or complementary competence? Impact Assessments Horizontal coordination Territorial experts in policy process Longer term: ESPON or DG? Territorial Development Council? ESPON seminar crete
Territorial Cohesion Investments Focus: least favoured areas EU main territorial structure? Polycentricity Space based investments: “territorial capital” Strategic approach? ESPON seminar crete
ESPON policy demands EU main territorial structure? Polycentrism: how to manage? Space based: urban-rural? Spatial(-economic) interrelations and dynamics (Lisbon!) Added value in measurable terms! ESPON seminar crete