I have a different view. In my opinion the principles benefit from not acquiring the form of a monopoly of ideas, overruling national policies. By keeping the Guiding Principles as a diversified general framework they may serve as a pan-European set of visions and source of inspiration, in which planning authorities in all countries find impulses for their domestic debate and further elaboration. We support the Guiding Principles as a basis for our national regional planning and development measures. I will elaborate on this by a few facts about the present planning situation in Norway.
People often claim that Norway is a small country.
That is not true. On a European scale we are a big country with a small population, i.e. an average of only 14 persons per square km. People think that leaves us with plenty of space. That is not true either. On these narrow strips you also find our very scarce arable land and expanding towns and cities.