Nuove prospettive di Sviluppo Territoriale europeo: una risposta al soggettivismo geopolitico New Perspectives on European Spatial Development: a response to geopolitical subjectivism

By the EU open coordination of territorial diversity, subjective political characteristics have replaced geopolitical ones in Western democracies. Functional Areas in European spatial planning have been a strong answer by cooperative strategic macro plans (VASAB2040, Great Macroregion) taking advantage of an established territorial socioeconomic cohesion based on the inclusive principle of sustainability. Starting from this assumption, the contribution outlines the scenario and related impact within which the design and operation of a renewed European Spatial Development Perspective 2030 can be conceptualised. Drawing upon policy/scientific references of the last decade, the complex logics of co-evolution and adaptation of the planning process within economic-territorial orientations, that have rendered the EU a platform for exchange and an instrument of territorial equity, are worthy of note: 2014-2016: Cities as drivers of sustainable competitiveness (NL); Cities for a better future in employment and quality of life (DG Regio), Urban Agenda (NL) with priority themes for a new form of master plan; Quito Habitat III Conference; the European city obsolescence: a future not in MEGAs, or in polycentric system of medium-sized cities, or in a ’robust’ model of intermediate cities (Science PO, OECD, ESPON); cities no longer collective actors in the network and the charm of their governance as increasingly blurred (FR); European city opposed to the American one (market, mobility, specialization, inequality) (IT) 2017-2019: behind urban liveability: smart/digital (LT), sustainable polycentric planning (BG), Green Economy (RO); digitalisation, circular collaborative economy and just transition (ES) 2020-2022: Territorial Agenda (GE); Sustainable Spatial Planning and Climate Change adaptation (Circular Economy and Carbon Footprint); DNSH, New Taxonomy. 2023-2025 and post: urban tapestry. The work also highlights the core of the current polycrisis as disconnect between finance, real economy and urban policies, as well as the territorial effects of EU cohesion policy implemented through the Green Deal strategy.