STeM approach for a sustainable territorial development of the Lisbon strategy

This paper pictures a synthesis of the cross-thematic ESPON 3.3 project named Territorial dimension of the Lisbon/Gothenburg Strategy, inspired and oriented: - to apply the update Lisbon/Gothenburg Strategy goals at territorial dimension, for developing them by new Structural Funds 2007-2013; - to conduce ex ante analysis of the impacts of these strategies in order to develop the EU national and regional competitiveness in a sustainable way; - to introduce territorial cohesion to the Lisbon/Gothenburg Strategy, indicating ways of integrating the Lisbon/Gothenburg Strategy in Structural Funds interventions in support of a balanced and cohesive territorial development of the enlarged EU. The main results will be presented developing a number of basic analytical elements and a lot of arguments and/or paradigmatic hypotheses about the more important economic and territorial international scientific theories of the 90’s and EU political reports, declarations and directives. The research has motivated the project to revisit the most important competitiveness contribution in the 90’s: the Porter’s Diamond and the integration with a ‘process’ (SteM Approach, which produces Territorial Impact Assessment – TIA as well) that can be used to assess the current and future national, regional, sub-regional capability to be competitive in sustainability. The final project proposal - to study four great “determinants” or composite indicators - will be included into: i) to interpret the Lisbon/Gothenburg territorial dimension and strategy; ii) to measure Lisbon/Gothenburg Strategy ex ante (before year 2007) and ex post (simulation) by a new methodological approach (STeMA). Into this approach, the four composite indicators assumed the role of basic Lisbon/Gothenburg Strategy key-messages. Territorial cohesion will bw also recalled to indicate ways of integrating the Lisbon/Gothenburg Strategy into the new Structural Funds.