A Just Europe
that offers future perspectives for all places and people
Balanced Europe
Better balanced territorial development utilising Europe’s diversity
- We will take action to encourage neighbourhoods, communities, municipalities, counties, regions and Member States to cooperate on responses to global societal challenges and improving working, living and business conditions in all places as well as strengthening socio‑economic prosperity, innovation capacity, positions in global value chains and global competitiveness across Europe.
- We invite policy makers from all levels to promote polycentric development models that offer a role for all places.
- We will take action to encourage decision makers at all governance levels to unleash the unique potential of territories with specific geographies and adequately address the constraints of these areas through integrated and cooperative approaches.
Functional Regions
Convergent local and regional development, less inequality between places
- We will search for dialogue with decision makers in cities and towns of all sizes to apply an integrated multilevel governance approach. This means involving people from different governance levels, in particular local and regional ones, as well as diverse policy sectors and societal groups.
- We will engage with local and regional decision makers to strengthen cooperation on long-term place-based strategies and address sustainable functional links between neighbouring areas.
Integration beyond Borders
Easier living and working across national borders
- We will take action to embed stable cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation in macro-regional, national, regional and local development strategies. We also support the development of new strategic documents, where needed, and the promotion of co‑development, involving citizens across borders.
- We will intensify the dialogue with policy makers at all governance levels to coordinate national sector policies between countries and to diminish existing obstacles to cooperation.
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A Green Europe
that protects common livelihoods and shapes societal transition
Healthy Environment
Better ecological livelihoods, climate-neutral and resilient towns, cities and regions
- We support the development of nature-based solutions as well as green and blue infrastructure networks that link ecosystems and protected areas in spatial planning, land management and other policies, and the development of new crisis management tools to increase places’ safety and resilience.
- We will respect the natural limits of Europe’s common livelihoods and increase the resilience of all places impacted by climate change.
- We will concentrate on strengthening awareness and empowering local and regional communities to protect, rehabilitate, utilise and reutilise their (built) environments, landscapes, material and immaterial cultural assets and other unique values through instruments of EU Cohesion Policy, Rural Development Policy, spatial planning or any other tools enhancing integrated territorial or local development among others.
Circular Economy
Strong and sustainable local economies in a globalised world
- We support Europe’s transition to a circular economy and the development of place-based industrial symbiosis processes, also taking into account the need for sustainable soil and land use.
- We support the development of local and regional circular economy strategies linking local and global economies.
- We encourage the strengthening of innovation capacities in all regions, including local strategies for energy transition and measures in the building, transport and bioeconomy sectors.
Sustainable Connections
Sustainable digital and physical connectivity of places
- We will invite stakeholders to enter into a dialogue on the need for adequate access to high‑speed fixed and mobile communication networks in all places, and the need for a digital infrastructure with a low carbon footprint and low impact on human health.
- We will further improve links between regional planning and the development of Trans-European Networks (TEN), especially along core network corridors. Linking all places with major transport nodes supports international trade connections and local development opportunities.
- We invite spatial and transport planners to explore new socially and environmentally progressive models for local and regional mobility-as-a-service and to cooperate on multimodal and environmentally friendly accessibility of and within urban centres.
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The Territorial Agenda underlines the importance of and provides orientation for strategic spatial planning and calls for strengthening the territorial dimension of sector policies at all governance levels. It seeks to promote an inclusive and sustainable future for all places and to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals in Europe.