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2009-05-31
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Territorial cohesion in Europe
Claude HUSSON
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The link established by Article 7d of the Amsterdam Treaty, Article
16 of the Consolidated Treaties, between the promotion of territorial
cohesion in the Union and services of general economic interest, gives
to the operation of these services a political dimension whose extent
has not yet been fully realised.
The article broke a taboo in recognising in the Community a competence
of a territorial nature, rejected until then despite a constant demand
for a policy of "aménagement du territoire" and the
practice of a so-called "regional policy" with a budget
comparable to that of the common agricultural policy, but not dealt
with in the treaties.
"Without prejudice to articles 73, 86 et 87 [relating to competition
rules], and given the place occupied by services of generaleconomic
interest in the shared values of the Union, as well as the role they
play in the promotion of social and territorial cohesion of the Union,
the Community and its member-States, each State within the limits
of their respective competences, and within the limits of the field
of application of the present Treaty, shall take care that such services
operate on the basis of principles and conditions which enable them
to fulfil their missions."
What will or will not be decided for these services has an impact
on the scope of the concept, which the Treaty, leaving a legal hole,
did not define, while the success of a difficult enlargement which
could be the basis for a demand for a Europe other than the one being
introduced, depends on the territorial cohesion of Europe.
On the other hand, according to whether it is decided or not to widen
the recognition of the aim of territorial cohesion, services of general
economic interest will either be the favoured tool of a Union that
allows all its territories to participate in its movement and that
of the world, or they will be measures of a limited application, subordinate
to rules of commercial competition.
- The demand for an impossible
and necessary territorial management
- The circumstances of the recognition
of the concept of territorial cohesion
- Deepening the concept
- Legal uncertainty
- A fragile recognition, a difficult
policy, limited in its aims
- The need for a general recognition
of territorial cohesion
- An ambition for Europe in the
world
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