METREX response. Territorial Agenda of the EU and the ESPON 2013 Programme

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1 METREX Nye Bevan House, 20 India Street, GLASGOW, G2 4PF T. +44 (0) F. +44 (0)

2 Contents Introduction Purpose of this Report Territorial Agenda of the EU Draft 1 Metropolitan regions and areas What are Europe's recognised metropolitan regions and areas? What are the functional relationships between European metropolitan regions and areas? What are the core functions that EU and metropolitan governance should fulfill? 2 European connectivity What are the generators and attractors of transportation movements to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, and how are these changing? What are the transportation movements (connectivity) to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, and how are these changing? What will be the probable demand for transportation movements (connectivity) to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, in the medium (5-15 years) and longer term (15-25 years)? How can European connectivity play a role in the development of a balanced and polycentric metropolitan Europe? How can transportation demand of EU significance be met whilst achieving an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas, particularly carbon dioxide, emissions? 3 Migration What are the generators and attractors of migration movements to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, and how are these changing? 2

3 4 Other considerations Climate change/urban change Cross-border areas and urban/rural relationships Environmental and heritage resources Risk Competence, capability and process at the EU level METREX, Glasgow, Wednesday 9 August

4 Purpose of this report In a letter of 14 July 2006 from Pekka Kangas, on behalf of the EU Finnish Presidency, METREX was invited to participate in the Stakeholder Dialogue on the Territorial Agenda of the EU. In an of 4 August 2006 from Peter Mehlbye, Director of ESPON, METREX was also invited to respond to the draft. The Purpose of this report is to provide a METREX response to both these invitations as they are clearly related. The response to the EU Territorial Agenda is sought by 8 September and to the draft ESPON Programme by 28 September. The METREX General Assembly will meet in Szczecin, during the 10th METREX Anniversary Conference, on Saturday 30 September. This METREX response has therefore been made by the METREX Secretariat, based on previous METREX position statements and decisions, and will be ratified at the Szczecin General Assembly. Summary of the METREX response The starting point is subsidiarity. What are the key strategic issues that can only be addressed effectively at the EU, national, regional and metropolitan levels? Spatial planning at any level should provide an informed response to such key issues, an input into policy making at upper levels and a context for planning at levels below. The evidence of past ESPON studies is that Europe's major functional urban areas, whether called metropolitan or not, should be at the core of any EU territorial agenda and the ESPON research programme. As a first step such areas need to be defined and recognised and a consistent basis agreed for data collection on the key issues of common interest. This should involve Eurostat. A mechanism for metropolitan governance should be advocated, whether on a statutory or voluntary basis. Without effective metropolitan governance the majority of the population of urban Europe will be without the means to address the key issues affecting its future. The EU will also be without a key level of governance with which to act in partnership. Governance at any level requires the competencies to address key strategic issues effectively, the capability to ensure that strategic decisions are taken on a wellinformed basis and a process through which to respond to emerging issues and foresee future issues. In this context, it would be helpful if the relationship will be between the process of updating and rolling forward the ESDP, or its successor, and the ESPON Programme could be clarified. On the evidence of ESPON conclusions in relation to Metropolitan European Growth Areas (MEGA), it would appear that the urban balance sought by the ESDP could only be achieved between the Mediterranean and Baltic/Danubian/Aegean trans national areas. Within these the PolyMETREXplus project has identified some polycentric metropolitan groupings that could provide the structural basis for better urban balance. 4

5 Effective polycentric groupings can be formed on the basis of complementarity and/or cooperation. Polycentric relationships might be included in the ESPON 2013 programme as an input into any ESDP II and as a context for European metropolitan planning. Polycentric relationships will depend to a large extent on connectivity. A key issue is how polycentric metropolitan connectivity can be achieved and sustained on a carbon light basis. This again might be the subject of an ESPON study. Such a study could also be related to the overall issue of Climate change/urban change. Europe's metropolitan areas need to be able to assess their energy sources and uses and to collectively reduce their emission of greenhouse gases by 80% by A methodology to make such assessments has been developed by the Tyndall Institute in the UK and is being tested through the InterMETREXplus project. The issue could be part of the ESPON 2013 programme. It is clear that in many European metropolitan areas migration can be the major generator of population and household change. Although this is a sensitive political issue, it is difficult t to see how European metropolitan areas can respond in a coherent way without a European context. This could be an issue for further ESPON study. 5

6 Territorial Agenda of the EU An Informal Ministerial conference will be held in Leipzig on 24 and 25 May 2007 within the framework of the German EU (European Union) Presidency. On the occasion of this conference, ministers responsible for Spatial Development in EU Member States will adopt the Territorial Agenda of the EU. Agreeing upon this Agenda constitutes the preliminary culmination of a process that was launched on the occasion of the Informal Ministerial conference in Rotterdam in 2004 and was continued via the one in Luxembourg in Aim The Territorial Agenda of the EU, as a short policy paper and its recommendations for an integrated spatial development policy, aims at mobilising the potentials of European regions and cities for sustainable economic growth and more jobs. Europe's competitiveness in the world will additionally be strengthened by utilising its territorial diversity in a better and more innovative way. Europe will be brought closer to its citizens and their scepticism will be overcome. The recommendations delivered by the Territorial Agenda of the EU are based on an analysis embodied in the expert report document Territorial State and Perspectives of the EU. This can be downloaded from the web site at Integration of relevant stakeholders in the process On the way to Leipzig, spatial development policy players will be involved in a dialogue on elaborating the Territorial Agenda of the EU. Interested stakeholders wishing to answer, preferably by 29 September 2006, should take the following questions into consideration: How do they see the present analysis? What responses to the territorial challenges do you expect from EU policies? How do you think the political process should be shaped? What good practices should be integrated in the documents? address mailto:territorial-agenda-eu@bmvbs.bund.de 6

7 ESPON draft 2013 Programme Dear colleague The ESPON 2006 Programme is now well advanced in carrying through applied research in the field of territorial development, mapping trends and policy impacts. The new comparable evidence on regions of Europe has reached a volume and maturity on a large variety of themes where ESPON results should be of your interest. You can have a look at the ESPON web site < to get a flavour of the synthesis made as well as the European maps and final project reports available. The continuation of evidence support to policy development has been agreed between the Commission and EU Member States and an is currently being elaborated which will be adopted by the ESPON Monitoring Committee and submitted to the Commission early autumn Currently a draft is the basis for a Europe wide consultation. In this consultation process it is of particular importance that you as important stakeholder, cooperation partner and potential user of ESPON results express your priorities for comparable European wide evidence and wishes for the next ESPON programme. The particular importance of getting your opinion is also related to the fact that the ESPON 2013 Programme shall be more driven by user demand in order to capitalise on the evidence and results achieved. The new ESPON programme will offer opportunities for a stronger relationship and cooperation than before which could be important for you, your organisation or your programme and at the same time make ESPON more useful for the main stakeholders. Therefore, I kindly ask you to spend the time necessary to state your opinion on the upcoming. You will find the draft of the as well as a few questions provided for the consultation by clicking HERE < The can easiest take your response into account if you send your comments before 8 September Looking forward to a close cooperation in the, I send you my best regards, Peter Mehlbye Director 7

8 The objective of the ESPON Programme Support policy development in relation to the aim of territorial cohesion and a harmonious development of the European territory by providing comparable information, evidence, analysis and scenarios on framework conditions for the development of regions and larger territories that can support the use of territorial capital and potentials and contribute to an improved European competitiveness, to European cooperation and to a sustainable and balanced development. 8

9 METREX response to the stakeholder dialogue on the Territorial Agenda of the EU and the Any assessment of a situation needs to start by asking the right questions. Subsidiarity means that any level of policy making in Europe needs to ask itself, What are the key issues that can only be addressed effectively at this level? This will define the European, National or metropolitan dimensions to policy-making. There will inevitably be areas of overlap but this does not invalidate the process. It just means that areas of common interest have to be recognised and accommodated. The point of the question is to define core interests. Policy making at any level should thus provide a coherent input for policy making above and context for policy making below it. Some of the key issues that need to be addressed in the ESPON Programme relate to European metropolitan regions and areas, European connectivity and migration. 1 Metropolitan regions and areas What are Europe's recognised metropolitan regions and areas? This is a key question because, on the assessment of ESPON, some 60-70% of Europe's population lives in the 70 or so larger urban areas that are of a scale and significance that might be considered metropolitan. This means that they fulfill higher economic, social, cultural, administrative, health and educational functions. Only at the metropolitan level can many of the key issues affecting the future of Europe be addressed effectively. For example, the economic future of Europe depends largely on what happens in its metropolitan areas. Metropolitan competitiveness is an outcome of the integrated consideration of, and forward planning for, business, housing, welfare, transportation, infrastructure and environmental quality. A means of effective metropolitan governance (the identification of key metropolitan issues and their consideration as a part of an Integrated Strategy and an ongoing strategic planning process) is a necessity in every European metropolitan area. Effective governance is essentially well-informed strategic decision making in the longer-term public interest. Effective governance will require competencies (powers) that are related to key issues, a technical capability to take well informed strategic decisions and a process through which to update and roll forward an Integrated Strategy. This applies at the EU and metropolitan levels. Without recognised and effectively governed European metropolitan areas the EU will be without a necessary level government through which to implement EU strategies, policies, programmes and projects. It will be missing a key level of governance for partnership. It is, therefore, in the essential interest of the EU to support the concept of metropolitan definition, recognition and governance. 9

10 What are the functional relationships between European metropolitan regions and areas? A polycentric approach to better urban balance across Europe requires an understanding of the relationships between metropolitan areas. Polycentric relationships can be based on complementarity (providing functions or services that are not available in other metropolitan areas) or on co-operation (working together to provide better or higher functions than are available in individual metropolitan areas). Polycentric metropolitan clusters or corridors (for example, along coasts, rivers or other transportation routes) have the potential to provide the larger balancing elements sought by the ESDP in relation to the core area of London/Paris and the Rhine/Ruhr area. They also have the potential to improve the collective competitiveness of many parts of Europe. The PolyMETREXplus project, promoted by METREX and led by the Generalitat de Catalunya, concludes that, on the evidence of ESPON studies, the European core can only be balanced with the Mediterranean and Baltic/Danubian/Aegean areas. Within these two broad trans national zones, some 35 individual polycentric groupings of metropolitan areas have been identified, which could provide the basis for the better European urban balance sought by the ESDP. What are the core functions that EU and metropolitan governance should fulfill? In considering a the territorial dimension to EU policy making a starting point should therefore be the definition, recognition and means of effective governance of Europe's metropolitan areas and an assessment of the potential for these to form polycentric groupings or clusters based on complementarity or co-operation. Functions that effective metropolitan governance should fulfill include the following. Balancing urban redevelopment with urban expansion Integrating land use, transportation and infrastructure Sustaining the vitality and viability of city and town centres Enabling economic competitiveness Promoting social inclusion Assessing the environmental impact of development Safeguarding natural and urban heritage resources Responding to the key issue of urban generated green house gases and climate change These are also the functions that should also be fulfilled at the EU level to provide a coherent context for strategy making at the national and metropolitan levels. However, the EU level will require to give informed consideration to what is of genuinely EU significance. 10

11 Issues can be of significance at any level because of their size and/or wider impact or as a result of the cumulative incremental impact of change or development. For example, the cumulative impact of urban activity on climate change. Functions that an effective EU Territorial Agenda should fulfill include the following. Balancing the European core area with the rest of metropolitan Europe Integrating metropolitan areas, European connectivity and infrastructure Sustaining the vitality and viability of metropolitan areas Enabling economic competitiveness Promoting social inclusion Assessing the environmental impact of development of European significance Safeguarding natural and urban heritage resources of European significance Responding to the key issue of urban generated green house gases and climate change 2 European connectivity What are the generators and attractors of transportation movements to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, and how are these changing? What are the transportation movements (connectivity) to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, and how are these changing? What will be the probable demand for transportation movements (connectivity) to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, in the medium (5-15 years) and longer term (15-25 years)? How can European connectivity play a role in the development of a balanced and polycentric metropolitan Europe? How can transportation demand of EU significance be met whilst achieving an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas, particularly carbon dioxide, emissions? European connectivity has to be sustained and improved to enable a more balanced polycentric Europe to evolve over the longer term. Connectivity, involving routes, modes, interchanges and terminals for people and goods, has a vital role to play in this process. It involves external connectivity to the wider world and internal connectivity across Europe. The key relationship in any EU Territorial Agenda must be between European metropolitan areas and the future connectivity of Europe. It is the equivalent of integrated land-use and transportation planning at the metropolitan level. 11

12 3 Migration What are the generators and attractors of migration movements to and from and within the EU, of EU significance, and how are these changing? It is recognised that a key factor in population and household change in Europe is migration. In many areas it is the main generator of change. This is a highly political issue but it is hard to see how coherent metropolitan planning can proceed without a coherent EU context for migration assumptions. 4 Other considerations Climate change/urban change European metropolitan regions and areas are a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions. They need to make a reduction in such emissions of some 80% by All EU territorial plans need to have an EU context for achieving this that they can work within. European metropolitan areas need to consider their sources of energy supply, how this is used and how carbon heavy sources and uses can be reduced. Such an approach is not only necessary for a sustainable global future but also essential to balance future energy availability and use. Air transport is of particular concern in relation to climate change as it has international and European dimensions. It is beyond any one state or metropolitan area to address. However, Europe can promote and provide the alternative high-speed train option for travel under 400km between metropolitan areas. Cross-border areas and urban/rural relationships It is understandable that the EU has felt it necessary to concentrate on issues that appear to be trans national or inter regional. However, administrative boundaries do not form a good basis for the effective longer term strategic planning at the EU or metropolitan levels. The most significant urban/rural relationships are around metropolitan areas and will be addressed by integrated metropolitan strategies. The key concept is functional metropolitan areas, meaning the larger urban areas and their areas of influence, whether across borders or involving strong urban/rural relationships. Environmental and heritage resources It is helpful to define and recognise environmental and heritage resources of EU significance as a context for planning at other levels. Such resources will constrain development and development will have to have regard to its impact on them. However, it would also be helpful to have a greater sense of the EU territory that is of European significance because of the collective value of resources in key locations. In other words, an integrated approach to natural and heritage resource safeguarding. 12

13 Risk It will also be helpful to define and recognise areas at risk that are of EU significance. These will include the catchment areas of major rivers where catchment area plans will be required. Metropolitan areas will have a contribution to make to these because of their relationships to flood plains, their generation of water run off and of contamination. The control of rivers within metropolitan areas can also have a relationship to flooding elsewhere in the catchment area. Competence, capability and process at the EU level It is recognised that territorial cohesion is not yet a statutory function of the EU supported by Treaties. However, it has been included in the draft EU Constitution. It is clearly necessary for the EU to take competence to provide an integrated territorial strategy, whether this is produced in name as a Perspective (ESDP) or Framework. The important point is that it should identify key EU territorial issues and take a longer-term view on these in an integrated way. It will also be important for the EU to have the technical capability to produce and sustain such an integrated strategy on an informed basis. ESPON is essentially a research network and the EU may need a full time, permanent territorial planning capability, perhaps initially on an Agency basis. It will require to sustain an information base, to inform decision-making on key strategic issues, and to acquire and maintain the knowledge and understanding required for integrated strategic planning. Competence and capability also require to be supported by a recognised process through which an integrated strategy is sustained, safeguarded, reviewed and updated as necessary in response to events and also to guide them. In short, to maintain its effectiveness. It is not clear how the necessary competence, capability and process for Territorial planning at the EU level is to be established and maintained. RR/9/8/