From Territorial Cohesion To The New Regionalized Europe

Discussing the ongoing and future challenges of EU Cohesion Policy, this book critically addresses the economic, social and territorial challenges at the heart of the EU’s policy. It identifies the multifaceted and dynamic nature of the policy as well as the cohesions goal interlinkage with other policies and considers unresolved questions of strategic importance in territorial governance, urban and regional inequalities, and social aspects and wellbeing.

This study examines some of the evolving challenges faced by EU regional policy in light of enlargement and assesses some of the approaches and trends in terms of territorial development policy and practice. The chapters reflect on the diversity of approaches to spatial planning and the politics of policy formation.

European societies and economies continue to rely on Services of General Interest (SGI) to produce legitimacy. Fair access to basic services such as transport, energy and communication infrastructures, education and health care is regarded as a cornerstone of the 'European Model of Society', as a way to promote Territorial Cohesion and lastly, as a right held by every EU citizen. These collective, regional and individual perspectives on Services of General Interest are in the focus of this edited volume. In the light of postmodern societies, demographic aging, migratory patterns, globalization and economic crises territorially sensitive challenges arise and targeted solutions are needed accordingly.

"Territorial cohesion" strives for a more balanced spatial development and seeks to improve integration throughout the EU. The scientific articles in this volume examine the interpretations of this term, the challenges of European spatial development policy, and the problems and concepts involved in achieving territorial cohesion. Two short reports illustrate the implementation of territorial cohesion on the basis of two research projects.

In this second book in a series on European spatial planning, the authors examine territorial cohesion as a successor concept to the European Spatial Development Perspective. Fundamental ideas about Europe and its distinct "model of society" lie behind the concept of territorial cohesion, which can be understood as a goal of spatial equity that tends to favor development-in-place over selective migration to locations of greater opportunity. This approach contrasts with an American social model that views the equity principle behind territorial cohesion to be diametrically opposed to the efficiency principle based on free mobility of labor.

EU common regional policy seeks to reduce regional disparities and prevent further social and economic imbalances by transferring Community resources to regions undergoing problems using the Structural Funds. This study seeks to provide technical advice to the Committee of the Regions on this matter, based on a literature review of regional development issues and on official EU documents, such as periodic reports, statistical yearbooks and cohesion reports. It examines the major socio-economic challenges to regional cohesion in the EU-15, considers the impact of enlargement, and makes recommendations for a more balanced regional development policy.

Despite the emphasis of the European Regional Policy on territorial cohesion, regional disparities have been increasing within Europe in the past years. The metropolitan areas in almost all countries are considerably growing while regions outside of agglomerations are stagnating or even declining. Against this background this book aims to provide an understanding of the underlying processes of polarisation and related regional and local policies. This open access volume contributes to the debates about polarisation and regional development by focussing on questions of spatial justice, power distribution and policy transfer. Theoretical and empirically grounded contributions show that European policies are indeed reproducing socio-spatial inequalities instead of challenging them. The book shows further the existing potentials and limits of individuals, economic, political and civil society actors to respond to polarisation on the regional and local level. In this book conceptual thoughts on polarisation, regional policy and regional development are combined with empirical research and resulting implications for policymaking. As such, it is a valuable source for early career students and researchers as well as professionals in the field of regional and economic development, policy consultants, and policy makers.