Transcript Slide 1

Research University Institute of Urban Environment and
Human Resources (U.E.H.R.) – Panteion University,
http://www.uehr.panteion.gr
“European Enlargement, Territorial
Cohesion and ESDP”
Paper Presented by Prof. P. Getimis
email: [email protected]
International Conference
“Present and future of the European Spatial Development Perspective”
Torino, 5 Marzo 2004
Castello del Valentino - Salone d’Onore
I. EUROPEAN ENLARGEMENT

Challenge of the future of the internal cohesion of E.U.

Enlargement :
•
is expected to increase the growth and competitiveness
•
implies the widening of economic development gap, a
geographical shift of income and regional disparities to
the east and southeast

EU27 socioeconomic disparities will double and the average
GDP of the Union will decrease by 12.5%.

Socio-economic macro trends as a result of globalization,
liberalization of markets, opening of trade, increasing
competition, ageing population: lead to an increase of
existing economic and social disparities
I. EUROPEAN ENLARGEMENT

Adequate structural policies are needed in order to
counteract market liberalization

Cohesion policy is the only policy of the E.U. which has a
redistributive character addressing economic and social
inequalities, transferring resources from rich to poor regions
and countries (Not only passive transfer of funds but mainly
an active support system of investment)
I. EUROPEAN ENLARGEMENT
However:

Arguments proposing the reduction of EU policies only in the
field of regulatory policies, the abandonment of the cohesion
policy as a redistributive policy and the transfer of its
responsibility to the national / domestic institutions (Majone
1994,1996)

Arguments proposing the transfer of community funds from
regional policy to the transport infrastructure, education and
R + D policy areas (Sapir Report 2003)

Such scenarios would lead to a dramatic increase of regional
and income inequalities
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The importance of cohesion policy as one of the pillars of the
enlarged Europe remains uncontested.

Need to increase financial resources (danger to decrease fro
1.17% to 1% of the GDP). Negotiation phase 2004-2005
I. EUROPEAN ENLARGEMENT
EC third report on economic and social cohesion does
express the willingness of the Commission not to abandon
cohesion policy, but proposes a reformed cohesion policy
after 2006, incorporating the Lisbon and Gothenburg
objectives. Three priorities:
a) Convergence
b) Regional competitiveness
c) Territorial cooperation
I. EUROPEAN ENLARGEMENT

The Question is whether this reformed cohesion policy will lead to
the economic, social and territorial cohesion and the real
convergence of the enlarged Europe, or it will have only limited
impact on the increase of inequalities, polarisations and
discontinuities.

Danger that the cohesion policy, will act with a very limited influence,
because of the dominance of the neo-liberal economic and monetary
paradigm that impedes real convergence (stability pact)
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Contradictions between the goals of cohesion policy and those of
other sectoral policies at the community and at the national level
(e.g. transportation policy, agriculture policy). Lack of synergies

The cohesion policy needs to give priority to:
•
The neglected aspects of social integration and cohesion, such
as social exclusion, poverty, racism and long-term
unemployment that need to be tackled through redistributive
policies
•
The territorial cooperation and balanced spatial development
between the member states of the EU27 and the new neighbours
at the external frontiers
ΙΙ. TERRITORIAL COHESION, ESDP AND NEW
SPATIAL TRENDS
Territorial cooperation and cohesion is a key concept for
intergraded and holistic solutions
•
Combines and integrates diverse frameworks of values in a
wide range of territories: social inclusion and equity, parity of
access, innovation, competitiveness, entrepreneurship,
environmental protection of natural and cultural resources,
partnership and cooperation. The complementarily of these
values is however not given. It is always a difficult goal to be
fulfilled, through new forms of multi-level governance
•
Although the effectiveness of the ESDP territorial objectives is
contested, is taken as a reference background for several
European programmes and actions (e.g. SPESP, ESPON e.a.)
ΙΙ. TERRITORIAL COHESION, ESDP AND NEW
SPATIAL TRENDS
•
Despite the considerable progress made in reducing regional
inequalities and the positive impact of European policy financed by
the Structural and Cohesion Funds, disparities remain and are
being reproduced in new forms:

Average income per capita of the 10% of the population living in
the most developed areas is 2.6 times higher than the average
income per capita of the 10% of the population living in lagging
regions
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Wide disparities with regard to unemployment and poverty and
at the regional level is more polarized pattern
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In Portugal and Greece 20-25% of the population had an income
below the poverty line, while in Denmark and the Netherlands
this percentage was small (11-12%).

New Problems in metropolitan areas, ( social exclusion,
segregation of immigrants, women, and old aged people e.a),
new forms of urban poverty and long-term unemployment.

Regions with geographical handicaps: rural mountainous areas,
islands suffer from isolation, migration and loss of jobs
because of economic restructuring
ΙΙ. TERRITORIAL COHESION, ESDP AND NEW
SPATIAL TRENDS
•
The Commission expects that, although regional disparities will
grow after the Enlargement, the cohesion policies and especially
the territorial co-operation policies will strengthen the economic
growth, productivity and competitiveness in the middle term,
and will develop a new spatial transformation towards a more
polycentric structure of the European territory
•
However it is still an open question if these goals can be
fulfilled, concerning the available limited financial resources.
(340 billion Euro, 0.41% GDP).
ΙΙ. TERRITORIAL COHESION, ESDP AND NEW SPATIAL
TRENDS
Trends: Major spatial transformations in the EU 27, challenges for the
territorial policies
a)
Expansion of the European Core towards the East, (major urban
agglomerations e.g. Budapest, Prague, Bratislava, Warsaw,
Poznan and Krakow). The emergence of new potentials and the
concentration of the capital investment simultaneously deepens
spatial disparities between the enlarged European Core and the
peripheral countries and regions
b) Deepening of the production specialization in a more limited
number of sectors, in the peripheral and more remote countries /
regions of the European territory, (such as Greece, South Italy,
eastern borders of EU, Balkan countries, etc.). Sectors with
comparative advantage (e.g. Tourism)
c)
An increase of spatial disparities is expected in interrelation with
environmental pressure upon coastal areas and islands of the
periphery
In order to minimize negative impact of trends, there is a need for
a framework of complementary goals, which combines
competitiveness, and innovation with social inclusion and
territorial cohesion and co-operation. Need for specific spatial
measures focused on the less favored countries of the new
European periphery (central and east Mediterranean countries,
objective one region, statistical effect)
ΙII. CHALLENGES OF THE EUROPEAN
TERRITORIAL POLICY IN VIEW OF THE
ENLARGEMENT: THE NEED FOR A ESDP+
•
Regional development and reduction of the old and new
spatial disparities are related to the accomplishment of
the basic targets of the ESDP
•
However, issues concerning the social aspect of
cohesion and in particular concepts of social equity and
social justice were neglected in the formation and
implementation of regional policies. There is a need to
upgrade social and environmental aspects of territorial
cohesion in order to minimize social discriminations and
safeguard social stability in the perspective of a new
ESDP+ for the enlarged Europe.
ΙII. CHALLENGES OF THE EUROPEAN
TERRITORIAL POLICY IN VIEW OF THE
ENLARGEMENT: THE NEED FOR A ESDP+
Necessity for some crucial policy recommendations:
a) Implying tailor-made policies more appropriate to the
diversity of territorial needs (Second Cohesion Report , Third
Report on Economic and Social Cohesion)
b) Supporting border regions through EU integration and
cohesion policy
c) Improving transportation networks (especially in the
accession countries)
d) Reinforcing polycentric development and strengthening
urban growth poles outside the pentagon
e) Promoting the process of trans-national functional regions –
macro regions
IV. CONCLUSIONS
A) Reinforcing Cohesion policies
•
European Enlargement, is expected to increase the growth and
competitiveness of the European territory activating new
investments fields, but also imlies the widening of economic
development gap between regions by doubling the socioeconomic
disparities in EU27.
•
Cohesion policy, as an active support system of investment in
physical and human capital, is the only redistributive policy of the
E.U, addressing economic and social inequalities. Financial
resources for redistribution should be increased (%of the EU GDP)
•
Need for adequate structural policies and accompanying
measures in order to counteract market liberalization and its
negative impact on economic and social cohesion of the enlarged
Europe. The cohesion policy needs to give priority to the:

Territorial cooperation and balanced spatial development
between the member states of the EU27 and the new
neighbours at the external frontiers.

Neglected aspects of social integration and cohesion (social
exclusion, poverty, racism, long-term unemployment that need
to be tackled through redistributive policies)
IV. CONCLUSIONS
B) ESDP+ goals elaboration within the territorial and cohesion
policies: The importance of Political Institutions
•
Strengthen the new political role of the EU as a multilevel
governance structure with the building of new institutions
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The new ESDP+ should not be just a loose framework
•
More spatial oriented criteria in the framework of a new
ESDP+.
•
A more permanent macro-regions structure
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Building of institutions and geographical and thematic
cooperation networks
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The establishment of Espon Programme as a permanent
institute (Observatory structure with peripheral branches at
a macro-regional and national level, D.G. Regio)
IV. CONCLUSIONS
C. Reinforcing civil society of the Enlarged EU
Principles and goals for the reorganization and strengthening of
the civil European society:
•
Combat democratic deficit and weaken control and demand
policy procedures, centralization, bureaucracy.
•
Promote partnership, networks and trust
•
Participation of citizens at all levels of governance,
enhancement the role of NGO’s, promote social, political and
environmental rights/citizenship, safeguarding social stability
and conflict resolution through consensus building,
negotiation and institutional learning
LITERATURE
To be completed