Establishing Cross-Border Spatial Planning

In the Lisbon Treaty signed in 2007, one of the objectives mentioned is not only to offer European citizens a space of freedom, security and justice without internal borders, but also to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion, as well as solidarity between the Member States. In theory, cross-border spatial planning is a means to regulate spatial dynamics and the effects induced by the cross-border integration process that impact on territories and the socio-spatial practices of border residents. However, spatial planning at the cross-border level, even though it is promoted by the European Union, remains a field of action that faces many obstacles and whose definition varies greatly depending on the context. So what are we really talking about when we use these terms, and to what does spatial planning correspond at a cross-border scale? The first part of this chapter aims to dissect the concept of cross-border spatial planning and to clarify the reasons why it constitutes an opportunity for supporting the cross-border integration process. In the second part, the various experiences of cross-border co-operation in spatial planning will be shown, and in the last part, the obstacles encountered by the actors to implement it will be exposed.