Territorial Cooperation for the future of Europe - ESPON contribution to the debate on Cohesion Policy post-2020

A better understanding of FDI inflows and their effects on cities and regions helps to embrace the benefits of globalisation and prevents potentially negative effects.

This paper aims at informing policy-makers at the EU level about the benefits and added value of the interregional programmes in times of resource scarcity.

March 2017 - ESPON presents territorial observations on key development patterns of territories with geographic specificities (coastal areas, islands, mountains and sparsely populated regions) and key messages for policy-makers for designing and implementing development strategies specifically tailored to the needs of these places.

Practical Tools for Analysis and Policy-making

In times of decreasing resources and growing responsibilities, a transition to a circular economy is both a necessity and an opportunity for cities and regions, with the potential to offer long-lasting economic, environmental and social benefits. Many local and regional authorities are already making efforts towards a more circular economy.

Polycentricity is a concept that encourages regions and cities, working with neighbouring territories, to explore common strengths and reveal potential complementarities, which brings added value that cannot be achieved by the individual regions and cities in isolation. 

October 2016 - Polycentricity is a concept that encourages regions and cities, working with neighbouring territories, to explore common strengths and reveal po

More than ever, cities today need to reinforce smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, while managing e.g. demographic change, housing, urban mobility, energy transition, all in a context of scarce public but also private resources.

More than ever, cities today need to reinforce smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, while managing e.g. demographic change, housing, urban mobility, energy transition, all in a context of scarce public but also private resources. They function as nodes of development and contribute decisively to local, regional, national and European economic growth.

Over the last years, the movement in favour of an integrated European urban policy has gained momentum. Improving urban quality of life, addressing social challenges in cities, facilitating mobility and communications and ensuring that all cities fully contribute to national economic growth and job creation are important and interlinked objectives.

Over the last years, the movement in favour of an integrated European urban policy has gained momentum. Improving urban quality of life, addressing social challenges in cities, facilitating mobility and communications and ensuring that all cities fully contribute to national economic growth and job creation are important and interlinked objectives.