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Abstract
This paper explores the roots of territorial cohesion thinking in the ‘European model of society’. There is much to do about this model. Some regard it as a liability for European competitiveness. The Barroso Commission wants to safeguard the model by, albeit temporarily, giving priority to growth. There are those – not only in Europe, but also on the other side of the Atlantic – arguing that the European model forms a solid basis for a highly competitive economy. In these debates, ‘European model’ stands for moderating the pursuit of economic growth with concerns for social welfare and equity, sustainability and good governance. Before elaborating, the paper summarises the discussion about territorial cohesion and the struggle over current EU policy. Then the paper backtracks to the ideas of Jacques Delors responsible for injecting the European model into the integration discourse. What follows is an account of four reports in the wake of the hapless Lisbon Strategy, all invoking the European model. The paper concludes with reflections on territorial cohesion policy and the European model.
Notes
1. A previous version of this paper was given at the Vienna Congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) in July 2005 (see http://aesop2005.scix.net/data/papers/att/228.fullTextPrint.pdf). This paper draws among others on work done in preparing a seminar on “Territorial Cohesion and the European Model of Society” presented at the Austrian Institute of Regional Research and Regional Planning, 12–13 July 2005. All papers given at that seminar have been published in: Faludi, A. (Ed.) (2007) Territorial Cohesion and the European Model of Society (Cambridge, MA: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy).