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



2.2 Co-ordination and the Objectives of the EU Treaty

Both the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community
(consolidates versions of Nice) do not contain explicitly the demand for a co-ordination of
sectoral policies on European level. But the necessity for co-ordination can be derived from
the stated objectives of the Community.

Main objectives in this respect are the economic and social cohesion (Art. 2 EU Treaty) as
well as a harmonious, balanced and sustainable development (Art. 2 EC Treaty), a high
degree of competitiveness (Art. 2 EC Treaty) and the raising of the quality of live (Art. 2 EC
Treaty).

The core Treaty Goals of a social and economic cohesion have been broadened and reinforced
by the new goal of territorial cohesion added in the final draft of the Treaty establishing a
Constitution for Europe. The objective of territorial cohesion is to “help achieve a more
balanced development by reducing existing disparities, avoiding territorial imbalances and by
making both sectoral policies which have a spatial impact and regional policy more coherent.
The concern is also to improve territorial integration and encourage cooperation between
regions.” (CEC 2004, 27). Attaining this objective is not possible without co-ordinating those
EU sector policies that have significant impact on the spatial development of member states
and thus on European spatial development.

All of this objectives are less sectoral influenced than on the contrary a result of a multi-
disciplinary interaction between different political fields of action. They involve extremely
complex areas of political activity; all of them interconnected as well as subject to various
“internal” influences. The scope of necessary considerations to achieve these goals is broad.

Therefore achieving this objectives seems not realistic by focussing on political targets that
are too sector specific. Particularly against the background of the recent enlargement of 10
new member states a political strategy capable of significantly reducing regional disparities
and taking into account the diversified character of problems with a clear territorial dimension
is of unprecedented importance. Such a political strategy can not be built up on only sectoral
approaches. Co-ordinating spatially relevant sector policies could be a important step towards
such a strategy and will contribute to the achievement of the Treaty objectives.



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