Territorial cohesion, economic growth and the desire for European 'balanced competitiveness'

Abstract

EU spatial policy upholds the need to proactively counterbalance the negative effects of increased inter-European competitiveness brought about by the 'single market' and globalisation. As global economic integration continues to create interdependencies among nations and localities, competition for scarce inward investment continues to intensify. As these economic trends continue, and as spatial planning takes on growing significance within the EU, there remains uncertainty about the role of spatial policy in the inward-investment process. The market and competition-oriented spatial development content of the ESDP questions the coherence and effectiveness of this spatial strategic document in tackling the EU economic development ethos. This paper addresses how spatial planning contributes to the competition for foreign direct investment and provides an invaluable window onto the articulation of global and local economic and political processes, drawing conclusions on the concept of territorial cohesion, ...