Spatial Development

The Presidency Conclusions from the special European Council meeting in Tampere in autumn 1999 noted the need to extend to a broader circle of countries - especially the candidate nations - the regional development efforts that have been conducted jointly by EU member states and the Commission to date. The European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) report forms a basis for these conclusions.

The Committee on Spatial Development, which has been the member states' and the Commission's forum for these issues, was charged with serving as a forum for dialogue between the EU and its neighbors concerning regional development.

A preliminary meeting is being held on the initiative of the Swedish Presidency in the Committee on Spatial Development in Brussels on 20-21 June, with Minister Ulrica Messing as the introductory speaker.

Purpose of the meeting

To find forms, taking the participant countries' varying backgrounds and capacities into account, for the future dialogue and cooperation between the 50 countries concerned and also, indicatively, specify the subject areas in which cooperation is most urgently called for.

Theme and content

The introductory addresses will be held by Minister Ulrica Messing; Konstantinos Hatzidakis, President of the European Parliament committee responsible for regional policy, transport and tourism; and a representative of the Commission. Accounts will also be given of experience from joint efforts in various major regions, such as the Baltic and Mediterranean, as a basis for negotiations on future forms of work.

Participants

All in all, 50 nations are invited to the conference: the 15 member states of the EU, the candidate countries, EFTA members and the Mediterranean countries included in the MEDA Programme.

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• EU discussions on spatial development (27/6/2001)