Co-ordinating European sectoral policies against the background of European Spatial Development



increasing their mutual synergy. Consequently, territorial coherence is likely to become a
powerful vector for better global effectiveness of Community policies”. (CEC 2001, 6)

In the integrated Single Market of Europe, development in the regions is nowadays much
more interdependent than in the past. “The particular spatial structure of member states and
their regions are to a considerable degree influenced by decisions beyond the reach of the
authorities responsible for spatial planning. These decisions are made partly [...] by political
and administrative authorities of the EU and the member states.” (Benz, 2002, 140)

Based on the German understanding of spatial development policy - characterised as multi-
disciplinary and under no circumstance attached to only one sector - one could justifiably
claim that there is none such policy existing at European level. The core task of spatial
development policy is to co-ordinate spatially relevant sector policies in order to achieve
balanced and well-regulated spatial development and to align the development of subordinate
areas with that of the area as a whole. With its compound focus this policy goes far beyond
individual sector policies.

In the contrary to such a co-ordinating policy, spatial development on European level is
actually “treated” as a “co-incidental effect” of EU sector policies (cp. Schafer, 2003).

It is obvious that this lack of co-ordination causes complex problems - in regard to the
effective assignment of financial subsidies as well as regarding the specific goals of
Community sector policies. Spatial planning is the most important among policies negatively
affected by deficient co-ordination.

Consequently there have been numerous attempts in recent years to reduce frictional losses
during the implementation of these policies and to establish a reliable framework for
European spatial development. The adoption of the ESDP was a milestone in this respect. The
Perspective as approved by the informal Council of the Ministers responsible for spatial
planning in 1999 concerns in its objectives and policy options a large number of actors. At
Community level it calls for a better consideration of the territorial impacts of European
Unions sectoral policies in order to enable a more effective co-ordination of these policies.
However, in terms of the co-ordination of European policies, the ESDP has had only minor
impact.

“The ESDP provides the possibility of widening the horizon beyond purely sectoral policy
measures, to focus on the overall situation of the European territory and also take into account
the development opportunities which arise for individual regions.” (CEC 1999, paragraph 8)



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