ESPON in context

Abstract

The continuing inability of the academic community to come up with a usable theoretical understanding of globalisation and the lack of corresponding statistical evidence, which is its result, encourages ideological speculation. Moreover, much of what passes for the international discussion on spatial planning is simply liturgical neo-liberalism, which blurs rather than clarifies the overall picture. The EU is tormented by the emergence of conflicting scenarios for European integration, namely, moving towards supranational state formation on the one hand or the intensification of cooperation between sovereign states on the other. This seems to reflect the way in which DG Regio and the other DGs are currently operating (e.g. as self-sufficient players). Much of the European work undertaken on spatial planning has been carried out in the context of intergovernmental co-operation, which is not always promoted by the Commission. The process and results of the ESPON programme can be understood in the context of globalisation and the conflicting scenarios for European integration. The most important question related to future co-operation on European spatial planning, concerns the scientific quality of the results however, not their alleged policy implications.