[FR] Our contribution to the Commission’s consultation on the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion

Notre Europe anticipated the adoption of the Commission Communication ‘Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion: Turning Territorial Diversity into a Strength’ by publishing a study in June 2008 entitled ‘Territorial Cohesion: From Theory to Practice.’ This response to the consultation summarises the reflections and proposals set out in that study.

For details of the technical analyses and theoretical considerations on which these recommendations are based, Notre Europe recommends reading the original, more comprehensive text, available in French and English,

Firstly, Notre Europe would like to highlight three reasons why territorial cohesion is currently so important for the European Union. Firstly, it is one of the contemporary manifestations of the European social model, illustrating the special relationship Europeans have with their environment and with solidarity. Secondly, it is an economic necessity, as continued growth seems to be achievable only at the cost of greater disparities and the marginalisation of certain areas, particularly rural areas, both of which create additional overall costs linked to environmental degradation.

Finally, it is a major source of democratic legitimacy, capable of reversing the trend towards greater inequality, which fuels Europeans’ scepticism towards European integration.