Urban Change and Regional Development at the Margins of Europe: Evaluating the Effects of the EU Policy

EU Cohesion Policy has had a significant impact on regions and urban areas, providing opportunities for development projects and innovations in urban policy and local governance. This book explores how EU intervention can affect the policy process locally, including regeneration, services, governance, and reducing regional disparities. It is a guide to understanding how EU policy has affected urban change and local development in Europe's marginal regions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Since the 1990s, regions and urban areas have emerged as the primary focus of the European Union's (EU) Cohesion Policy. This policy has presented a unique opportunity for European cities, particularly in less developed regions, to implement extensive development projects and introduce innovative urban policy and local governance practices.

In order to explore the diverse ways in which EU intervention can impact local policy processes, this book examines the planning processes that took place in four European cities: Porto (Portugal), Malaga (Spain), Palermo (Italy), and Thessaloniki (Greece). These cities represent different geographical and socio-economic contexts, providing a comprehensive understanding of the policy implications at the local level.

Through a detailed analysis of these planning processes, the book identifies several key themes. It explores how EU intervention can contribute to the regeneration of decayed neighborhoods, the creation of essential services to improve the quality of life, and the establishment of new governance relations and institutional capacity in local government. The book also provides a critical reflection on the impact of EU urban policy in reducing regional disparities and the extent to which Cohesion Policy has helped cities to open new pathways for local development.

With a special focus on the EU's marginalized regions, this book serves as a valuable guide for understanding how EU policy has influenced urban change and local development across Europe. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the journal "Urban Research & Practice."

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032280509