IN-PLAN PRACTICE
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The EU itself does not have general competence in the field of spatial planning, but it often makes efforts to coordinate spatial planning policies among member states. Despite this, the EU exerts significant influence on spatial planning through its sectoral competencies and activities, shaping the framework within which spatial plans are developed. Within the EU, there is a variety of spatial planning practices and instruments, each linked to the respective planning customs and traditions of member states. These systems differ in their objectives, organisational structures, and instruments. In general, spatial planning corresponds to a specific set of nationally legally binding rules and regulations.
Most EU member states have a planning system involving three levels of government. However, some countries operate with only two levels, while others have four or even five levels of planning responsibility. Generally, most EU member states have some form of planning competence at the national level. Law-making and policy-making competences are typically assigned to higher administrative levels, while plan- and decision-making competences are shared across all levels of government. Broadly speaking, four different planning systems can be identified in Europe:
Some European countries, such as France, have strong centralised spatial planning. Decisions and planning are typically made by a central governmental organisation with extensive control and enforcement powers. This allows for a unified approach to land use planning but can also lead to bureaucracy and a lack of local flexibility.
Many European countries, such as Germany, Italy, and Austria, have decentralised spatial planning systems where responsibility and authority are distributed among different levels of government. In Austria, for example, spatial planning laws are made at the federal state level, while municipalities are in charge of drawing up and implementing spatial plans. This allows for greater flexibility and consideration of local needs but can result in varying approaches and standards across different regions.
Some European countries, like the Netherlands, have cooperative spatial planning systems where various stakeholders—including government, municipalities, businesses, and citizens—work together to make spatial planning decisions. This approach encourages broad participation and consensus- building, ensuring that diverse interests are taken into account.
In Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway, integrative spatial planning systems are used. These systems closely link different policy areas such as environment, transport, housing, and economy to enable holistic and sustainable spatial planning. This approach emphasises balancing different interests and promoting synergies between various sectors.
Of course, these systems can vary, and many countries use a mix of approaches. Additionally, spatial planning systems are constantly evolving to meet changing challenges and requirements. For the IN- PLAN practice, serving as a guiding document for regions and municipalities across Europe, this diversity means it cannot address the specific situation of each individual country. Instead, it must remain as general as necessary while being as precise as possible in its suggestions for successful integrated spatial planning.