Global Europa, ESPON and the EU’s Regulated Spaces of Interaction

Abstract

This paper seeks to bring together approaches to sociospatial theorising with debates on the EU’s international role. It points to a general lack of engagement with the spatial underpinnings of EU geopolitical agency, citing the example of four visions for ‘Europe in the world’ from the EU’s key spatial think tank (ESPON). Moreover, this paper illustrates how EU geopolitical agency can be better understood when examined in its historical and sociospatial context. Space is not defined as physical space, but as socially produced spaces of interaction within which different actors stand in particular relations to each other. Through the history of European integration, the EU can most effectively exercise influence if such spaces of interaction are regulated and institutionalised, as opposed to disordered and anarchic. Regulated spaces of interaction are therefore a key parameter of EU geopolitical agency and, consequently, the promotion thereof a key objective of EU external relations.

Key Words:

• EU
• spaces of interaction
• civilian power
• normative power
• sociospatial
• ESPON

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Thomas Christiansen for his support and guidance through the publication process as well as the anonymous referees for their insightful comments. Moreover, I would also like to thank Alun Jones, Claude Grasland and James Sidaway for their thoughts and input to this paper is various ways.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Formerly the European Spatial Planning and Observation Network.

2. For instance, the regional cohesion policies (EC 2013b).

3. For instance, EU development policy (EC 2013a).