This book fills an existing academic literature gap by providing a sound and synthetic analysis on the process of European Territorial Cooperation over the last 30 years. This follows from the support from the former EU INTERREG Community Initiative, since 1989, later transformed into the second main goal of EU Cohesion Policy, by 2007: European Territorial Cooperation – ECT.
In order to present the ECT process in a more comprehensive manner, and to be the main literature reference regarding this process in the decades to come, this book is divided into four different sections and 12 chapters. The first section summarizes the main impacts and added-value from ETC experiences while proposing the elevation of the ETC goals within EU Cohesion Policies. The second section addresses the process of cross-border cooperation, and namely its impact in reducing border obstacles and supporting ever growing number of cross-border entities. The third section elaborates on the second most important ETC process (transnational cooperation) with a similar approach. Finally, a last section debates the future scenarios for this process in Europe.
Table of Content
The INTERREG Experience in Bridging European Territories: A 30 Year Summary.- The Added Value of European Territorial Cooperation. Drawing from Case-Studies.- European Territorial Cooperation at the Core of EU Cohesion Policy.- Border Regions and Cross-Border Cooperation in Europe: A Theoretical and Historical Approach.- Persisting Border Obstacles in the EU.- The Role and Rise of European Cross-Border Entities.- The Rise of the Macro-Regions in Europe.- Transnational Cooperation and European Spatial Planning.- The Main Impacts of the INTERREG-B in Achieving Territorial Cohesion in the EU.- The EGTCs and the New Institutional Cooperation Paradigm.- Establishing Cross-Border Planning.- Focusing on Cross-Border Territorial Impacts.
About the author
Eduardo Medeiros is a Geography Professor and a Senior Researcher of the Centre for Geographical Studies (CEG) – Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning – Lisbon University.