EU Cohesion Policy and European spatial governance: An introduction to territorial, economic and social challenges

Abstract

This introductory chapter presents the main development in the EUs Cohesion Policy and its objectives, and the rise of evermore spatially relevant EU policies and funds raising questions on the combined effects. The chapter outlines nine major narratives, that provide explanatory force to the development of the EUs Cohesion Policy: changing narrative to economic support schemes, a weak urban focus, changing demands with changing EU membership, the retainment of decision-making power with the Council, reduction of DG Regio to an administrative, less political DG; increase of topics and policies at the EU level, disintegration and nationalism and new global challenges.