State of the European territory: A key contribution to the debate about the future EU
Author: Lambert van Nistelrooij
As a geographer and a Member of the European Parliament, I tried to strengthen the EU’s territorial dimension. ESPON inspired me to go deeper into the debates and I expect that the new ‘State of the European Territory’ will do so in the upcoming debates on the future of Europe.
The recognition of territorial cohesion as one of the EU’s goals in the Lisbon Treaty was a breakthrough. In the slipstream, I received broad support in the European Parliament Plenary for a more integrated approach to EU sectoral policies. With a stronger role for cities, regions and stakeholders in cohesion, investment and the internal market, we were able to respect diversity and specific needs all over Europe. The result, as recognised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has been the substantial growth and convergence in the gross domestic product (GDP) of all Member States and regions.