Naja Marot

Territorial impact assessment: Integrating territorial aspects in sectoral policies

Territorial impact assessment has recently gained attention as a tool to improve the coherence of sector policies with territorial cohesion objectives. The paper presents a method for territorial impact assessment and the results of applying this method on Slovenian energy policy. A two phase approach first disaggregates the problem into a three-dimensional matrix, consisting of policy measures, territorial objectives and territorial units. The synthesis phase aggregates measures and objectives in physical, economic or socio-cultural groups and observes their interrelation through an input-output matrix. The results have shown that such a two level approach is required to obtain complete and useful information for policy developers. In contrast to the relatively favourable evaluation of individual measures on the first level of assessment, the synthesis has revealed substantial and systemic weaknesses: considerable imbalance of energy policy favouring territorial effectiveness and mainly neglecting territorial identity as well as its counterproductiveness in reducing regional disparities.

Territorial Impact Assessment of European Draft Directives—The Emergence of a New Policy Assessment Instrument

Abstract European Union directives, along with their transposing arrangements in EU member states, can have unanticipated and sometimes undesirable impacts on certain regions and places. These include impacts on the use of space (e.g. new infrastructure or sprawl), governance, and on wider social, economic or environmental dimensions. Although ex-ante assessment of the potential impacts of EU initiatives has been carried out since 2002 through the European Commissions Impact Assessment procedure and also through national equivalents in some member states, important impacts are still overlooked, frequently because of their territorially heterogeneous nature within and between EU member states. This paper presents the results of the ESPON EATIA research project, in which a new territorial impact assessment methodology was developed for national and regional administrations in EU member states in order to inform their national positions during the negotiation of European draft directives and potentially other policy proposals.

Applying territorial impact assessment in a multi-level policy-making context – the case of Slovenia

Territorial impact assessment (TIA) aims at informing policy-makers on the policy impacts on different geographical areas (‘territorial units’). This paper presents a methodology for TIA which was tested on four European Union (EU) directives and their likely impacts on territorial units in Slovenia. This involved clustering Slovenian statistical (NUTS 3) regions according to their policy-relevant characteristics. The evaluation framework was reflecting the specific territorial cohesion objectives at corresponding governance levels (EU, national, local). This exercise indicates that there are some significant differences among Slovenian regions for different impacts, which become somewhat blurred when aggregated. Furthermore, the meaning of impacts differs depending on the governance level from which they are viewed. We conclude that important differences may be lost when impacts are generalized in policy assessments.

Slovenia as the Natural Park of Europe? Territorial Impact Assessment in the Case of Natura 2000

The implementation of Natura 2000 is causing difficulties in the EU’s Member States, including Slovenia. In addition to the positive environmental it also results in the negative economic, social, and governance-administrative effects. To prevent similar quandaries in adopting and implementing EU policies, the project ESPON EATIA developed a participatory process for the territorial impact assessment. Testing the Habitat Directive has shown that in addition to the positive effects regarding the conservation of biodiversity, the directive represents a major obstacle for the economy and the delivery of investments. At the same time it represents the potential of the area for tourism and opportunity for the development of new industries. The regulation contributes to a better quality of life, but also extends the spatial planning procedures and conflicts between investors and the local community. This approach has proven to be an appropriate medium for the exchange of experiences of various stakeholders who are involved in either the preparation or the implementation of the rules and as the proper tool for the global assessment of the effects of selected EU regulation.

Indicators of Demographic Change: A Brief Comparison of Data from Selected Alpine Regions

A comparative demographic analysis of ten Alpine regions was based on the results from a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data collection. It can be generalized that in selected areas, municipalities can be found with negative and positive natural growth. A clear shift of childbearing to an older age is evident, likely caused by a longer education process, poor accessibility to housing, more demanding job conditions and other factors. The structure of age groups has dramatically changed in most of the regions since the late 1970s or early 1980s. In qualitative analysis, problems, such as job provision and housing for the youth were brought forward, so was the deterioration of services of general interest on one side, but also the introduction of innovative measures on the other. In addition the ways of tackling these issues through spatial planning have been examined. The results show that some of the regions have already started programmes or measures and in some cases incorporated them into policy documents. However, wider political promotion and recognition of the problem, especially on the local level, is still awaited for.

Spatial Planning Policies and the Integration Models as a Means for a Better Delivery of Services of General Interest

The provision of services of general interest (SGI) is governed by authorities at different levels. The changing role of public sector regarding SGI provision during austerity has particularly affected remote mountain and border areas, where economy, population ageing, dispersed settlements, and geomorphology hinder the SGI supply. To counter this, new integrated approaches for SGI provision should be sought. Hereby SGI integration models in 257 spatial planning and sectorial policy documents from five Alpine countries (Italy, Switzerland, Austria, France, and Slovenia) were investigated to discover if and to what extent the integration is considered, and what challenges need addressing. Analysis shows the SGI integration in the Alpine Space is moderate, mostly occurring among health, telecommunication, social care, and basic goods sectors. Adapting the existing spatial planning policies could bridge the identified gaps, as some examined documents (e.g. transport, telecommunication) do not consider the SGI provision in spatial planning context at all.

Delivering a national spatial development strategy: a success story?

ABSTRACT The Slovenian national planning policy has been in a renewal process since 2014. The process required an evaluation to reveal to which level the defined measures have been delivered and discuss the policy’s future role. The mixed-methods evaluation approach consisted of a document analysis, a questionnaire with local communities and interviews with representatives of the ministries. Implementation of measures depends on multiple factors: capacity, personal priorities of actors, interpretation skills, financial support, political will for co-operation, etc. The potential to mitigate the influence of factors on implementation through a co-evolutionary trend of planning is elaborated in the light of Europeanization.

Added value from European Territorial Co-operation: the impact of demographic change in the Alps on the young

Abstract The article sets demographic change in the Alps in the framework of European Territorial Cooperation programs. A statistical overview of selected regions in five Alpine countries serves as a basis for further policy analysis. The latter was undertaken to reveal how transnational projects tackle youth issues, including the difficulties within the labour and real estate markets that appeared to be the most problematic factors influencing (out) migration of the youth. While there is only a minor recognition of the young in current policymaking on supranational, regional and local levels, the analysis showed that the added value of transnational programs for mountain regions and localities can be recognized in the development of multi-stakeholder environments, creating and transferring new solutions for the labour market as well as empowering youth participation in policy processes. However, the extent to which these solutions might contribute to overcoming the challenges of demographic change because of transnational programs is limited by various factors. Among these are the precise governance framework, administrative capacity, and population figures.