Territorial Observations overview

ESPON Territorial Observations aim at providing policy makers and practitioners with short and concise information on important new evidence to various dynamics of the European territory, its regions and cities.

By publishing several issues of Territorial Observations per year, ESPON will promote its role as provider of comparable facts and evidence on territorial dynamics in support of EU Cohesion Policy.

The European Commission will publish in 2010 the Fifth Cohesion Report and initiated in 2008 with its Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion a debate on territorial cohesion as future aim for European territorial development being part of the Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force on 1 December 2009. In 2007, the Territorial Agenda of the EU put an equal focus on the concept of territorial cohesion. All documents will increase the demand for information on dynamics and analysis of trends which can support regions and cities in deciding on their development priorities and which can contribute to competitiveness and cohesion in Europe.

Global challenges underline the need to take a wider geographical perspective on issues, particularly when looking for opportunities for development and territorial capital in a region or city.

The necessity to include a larger European territorial context in decision-making also enhances the need for facts positioning Europe in relation to other continents in the world. The EU Lisbon Strategy sets the objectives for a European Union with an economy based on knowledge. This process needs to be supported by evidence on the economic specialization and social conditions and perspectives of other continents and the flows of activities occurring worldwide.

The following Territorial Observations are available: