📖 Towards Territorial Cohesion. The Role of the European Parliament.

The notion of Territorial Cohesion sprung up shortly after the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) was adopted and has since gained considerably in relevance. Territorial cohesion is likely to be integrated into the Treaties as a Community objective - be it in a Constitutional Treaty or in the Treaty establishing the European Community. As a transversal objective it adds to the social and economic cohesion objectives and potentially changes sectoral thinking at all spatial levels by approaching territorial and spatial development in an integrated way. Its many facets touch upon issues such as governance, liberalisation, equity and quality of life and it has been intertwined with the strategies of Lisbon and Gothenburg. This makes territorial cohesion a policy concept that deserves debate by the EU institutions and the relevant stakeholders. The author describes the evolution of EU Cohesion Policy, explores how the notion of Territorial Cohesion been debated at the European Parliament (EP) and its Committee on Regional Development and makes recommendations for a deepened discussion within the EP as well as with other EU institutions and experts.