Revision of the Territorial Agenda 2030 - Towards a more integrated and civic approach with stronger links with the cohesion policy

Key points

The EESC:

• considers that the Territorial Agenda (TA) should promote the fifth freedom of the internal market – referred to in the Letta report as ‘the freedom to stay’ in the place where one has chosen to live – thus ensuring full economic, social and territorial cohesion. On the other hand, as mentioned in the Draghi report, it should also ensure that all regions are able to make use of local development opportunities through measures to guarantee and strengthen their competitiveness;

• highlights the fact, that with its emphasis on creating a fairer and greener Europe, the Territorial Agenda 2030 (TA 2030) is aligned with the EU’s long-term goals and creates a solid foundation for integrated spatial planning;

• notes that, despite EU measures to test and implement the TA 2030, the benefits it could bring to support cohesion and equitable development have not yet been fully exploited at local and subnational level;

• highlights the importance of enhancing the interconnection between the TA 2030 and cohesion policy. The TA 2030 is a strategic instrument to support regions, setting priorities to address the challenges they face, while cohesion policy makes sure it is implemented;

• believes that efforts to inform civil society and involve it in planning and implementing the TA 2030 need to be stepped up, highlighting the risk that initiatives and projects will be introduced that do not fully take into account the needs of the target beneficiaries of EU policies and strategies – individuals and social and economic partners;

• draws attention to the crises and systematic changes that affect the EU, and the consequent increase in disruption and risks they cause (be they social, economic, environmental or other);

• welcomes the way that the TA 2030 has been developed and tested through pilot actions, but also highlights the considerable room for improving the adoption of integrated territorial development processes (social, economic and environmental);

• believes that the cohesion, sustainability and resilience of the EU’s various territorial dimensions cannot be tackled separately with ordinary instruments. Therefore, recommends including the TA in the European Semester process, following the guidelines of ESPON (European Spatial Planning Observation Network);

• recommends that the TA 2030 be coordinated as much as possible with cohesion policy;

• points the need to increase the presence of social and economic representatives within the framework of the partnership principle in local and regional territorial development;

• stresses the need to develop processes and initiatives for better aligning the TA 2030 with the EU's needs and challenges and for strengthening synergies with the Leipzig Charter and the EU Urban Agenda;

• believes it is essential to organise the activities of the TA 2030 according to priorities like tackling climate change; adapting to demographic change; and encouraging a civic approach;

• believes it is a priority to promote balanced and sustainable territorial development through closer cooperation between all levels of government and increase public consultation.