The Development of Territorial Cohesion Policies in Latvia
Abstract This article examines how territorial cohesion policies have taken shape in Latvia in response to European debates on the subject. It argues that the conceptualization of territorial cohesion in Latvia is closely linked to the country's historical development path and primarily reflects national concerns with social cohesion. While Latvian national and regional level institutions rely on open processes of policy-making and stakeholder involvement, which were developed during the period of post-soviet transition when the country's planning system and regional policy approach were reformulated, the same open and consultative approach is not always evident during the drafting or consi…
Urban transport policy transfer in central and Eastern Europe
Abstract European Territorial Cooperation is one important context in which partners from across the whole of Europe meet and learn from each other. Naturally, the involvement of partners from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in this process is increasing as a consequence of the expansion of Europe, particularly the accession of ten new EU member states in 2004, and two more in 2007. Various examples can be found where CEE countries are seeking to catch up politically and economically by drawing lessons from policies in more developed countries. The uncertainties of policy-making in some of these countries have made policy transfer a particularly attractive option, as politician…
Macro-regional Strategies, Cohesion Policy and Regional Cooperation in the European Union: Towards a Research Agenda
Since 2009, the European Union has developed strategies for the Baltic Sea, Danube, Adriatic-Ionian and Alpine macro-regions. These macro-regional strategies represent a new tool of European Union governance that seeks to combine the community’s territorial cooperation and cohesion policy repertoire with intergovernmental ‘regional cooperation’ involving European Union member and partner countries. By establishing comprehensive governance architectures for cross-sectoral and trans-boundary policy coordination in areas such as transport infrastructure and environmental protection, macro-regional strategies seek to mobilise European Union member and non-member states alike in promoting and h…