Annexes to COM(2008)616 - Green paper on territorial cohesion: turning territorial diversity into strength - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2008)616 - Green paper on territorial cohesion: turning territorial diversity into strength. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2008)616  |
| date | October 6, 2008 |
Questions for debate
The questions listed below cover the main issues described in this Green Paper and define the scope of the debate it is intended to initiate. The Commission will provide a synthesis of this debate in late Spring 2009.
1. Definition
Territorial cohesion brings new issues to the fore and puts a new emphasis on existing ones.
- What is the most appropriate definition of territorial cohesion?
- What additional elements would it bring to the current approach to economic and social cohesion as practiced by the European Union?
2. The scale and scope of territorial action
Territorial cohesion highlights the need for an integrated approach to addressing problems on an appropriate geographical scale which may require local, regional and even national authorities to cooperate.
- Is there a role for the EU in promoting territorial cohesion? How could such a role be defined against the background of the principle of subsidiarity?
- How far should the territorial scale of policy intervention vary according to the nature of the problems addressed?
- Do areas with specific geographical features require special policy measures? If so, which measures?
3. Better cooperation
Increased cooperation across regional and national borders raises questions of governance.
- What role should the Commission play in encouraging and supporting territorial cooperation?
- Is there a need for new forms of territorial cooperation?
- Is there a need to develop new legislative and management tools to facilitate cooperation, including along the external borders?
4. Better coordination
Improving territorial cohesion implies better coordination between sectoral and territorial policies and improved coherence between territorial interventions.
- How can coordination between territorial and sectoral policies be improved?
- Which sectoral policies should give more consideration to their territorial impact when being designed? What tools could be developed in this regard?
- How can the coherence of territorial policies be strengthened?
- How can Community and national policies be better combined to contribute to territorial cohesion?
5. New territorial partnerships
The pursuit of territorial cohesion may also imply wider participation in the design and implementation of policies.
- Does the pursuit of territorial cohesion require the participation of new actors in policy-making, such as representatives of the social economy, local stakeholders, voluntary organisations and NGOs?
- How can the desired level of participation be achieved?
6. Improving understanding of territorial cohesion
- What quantitative/qualitative indicators should be developed at EU level to monitor characteristics and trends in territorial cohesion?
The Commission invites all interested parties to comment on the questions set out in this Green Paper. Replies and additional comments should be sent by 28 February 2009 to:
European CommissionDG Regional PolicyGreen Paper on Territorial Cohesion
CSM1 4/161
B-1049 Brussels
or by email to:
REGIO-GreenPaper-Territorial@ec.europa.eu
Providing the sender agrees, contributions received electronically, together with the sender’s contact details, will be put on the Green Paper website.
[1] The term "EU structural policies" mainly refers to policy interventions of the ERDF, the ESF, the Cohesion Fund, the rural development fund and the fishery fund.
[2] For example, the specific schemes for the outermost regions and some small Greek islands.
[3] Official Journal L 291, 21.10.2006, p. 29.
[4] Official Journal L 55, 25.02.2006, p.26.
[5] http://www.bmvbs.de/Anlage/original_1005349/Conclusions-of-the-German-EU-Council-Presidency-accessible.pdf
[6] See SEC(2008) 2550 for an explanation of the territorial typologies used in this section.
[7] Population between 5 000 and 50 000.
[8] Population above 50 000.
[9] www.citypopulation.de.
[10] See OECD, 2007, Competitive Cities in the Global Economy.
[11] See Peter Newman and Jeffrey Kenworthy, 1999, Sustainability and Cities. Island Press.
[12] Proposal for a Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare COM(2008) 414
[13] These are addressed in a separate Communication, due to be adopted in mid-October 2008.
[14] Territorial Agenda of the European Union, Leipzig 24-25 May 2007.