Territorial Impact Assessment of European Directives

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an ESPON-funded project (European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion) carried out between November 2010 and May 2012 on assessing the territorial impacts of European directives and regulations at regional and local decision-making levels in EU member states. The methodological framework included two components: (a) an analytical element, involving literature and document reviews, modelling exercises, and applied work; and (b) an interactive learning element, which created learning networks in the UK, Portugal, and Slovenia. Each network brought together 15–20 representatives from public and private sectors, active in spatial and sectoral planning and assessment at various administrative levels. Their role was to critically assess, comment on, and help shape the project’s analytical work. The main outcome was the development of a territorial impact assessment (TIA) methodology, tested in Portugal, Slovenia, and the UK. Designed to be flexible and adaptable to diverse planning traditions and systems across Europe, the methodology aims to provide a more consistent and reliable understanding of the territorial impacts of European policy proposals.