COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
COM(90) 544 final 
Brussels, 16 November 1990 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
EUROPE 2000; OUTLOOK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
THE COMMUNITY'S TERRITORY" 
A preliminary overview 
•EUROPE 2000: OUTLOOK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
THE COMMUNITY'S TERRITORY" 
A preliminary overview 
I. Introduction 
This paper outlines the main elements of a document now in 
preparation which aims to highlight the trends and pressures 
that are likely to shape land use and physical planning 
within the Community at the beginning of the next century, it 
Is intended that the document should provide a reference 
framework for national, regional and local public authorities 
and for businesses to assist them In their longer-term 
planning and decision-making. 
The purpose of this preliminary overview is to stimulate 
debate on some of the important factors now determining land 
use and physical planning with a view to finalisation of the 
Europe 2000 document by the end of 1991. It will in 
particular serve as a basis for discussion of physical 
planning Issues at a meeting of Regional Policy and Planning 
Ministers on 23/24 November in Turin. 
The outlook for the development of Community's territory: the 
need for a coherent Community approach 
With the increasing globalisation of economic activity and 
the liberalisation of centrally planned economies, the 
countries of Europe are set on a course of closer and closer 
economic Integration. Within the European Community, this 
integration process has been anticipated and accelerated by 
the commitment to the creation of a single large market 
without frontiers. 
Both within this large market and beyond It, the flows of 
trade, capital and people across traditional national borders 
are now increasing substantially and their pattern within 
Individual countries Is adjusting to the growth of 
international linkages. 
This accelerating Integration will Inevitably have a 
substantial impact on land use and physical planning within 
the Community. Increased transport and telecommunications 
traffic and technological developments in these and the 
energy fields, will place additional demands on 
Infrastructure networks at a regional, national and European 
level. Migration of people between regions and between 
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countries as well as the ageing of the Community's population 
will affect cities, towns and rural areas and have 
imp I I cat Ions for the provision, of housing and public 
services. Business Investment and location decisions will not 
only have a direct Impact on land use but will also have 
consequences for development of physical Infrastructures such 
as airports, roads and schools. 
Policies developed and decided at the Community level are 
also having an increasing impact on land use and physical 
planning within the territories of the Member States: 
The common agricultural and fisheries policies for 
example, have a determining influence on the character 
and structure of rural and coastal areas; 
- Trade and industrial policies, which as well as having a 
direct impact on economic activity and employment In 
regions, Inevitably lead to the need to develop new 
Industrial sites or to abandon and/or redevelop old ones; 
The Community's external policy through trade agreements, 
economic and development cooperation with third countries 
have an impact on the Community's own regions in 
industrial as well as migration terms; 
Community environmental policies on land, water and air 
pollution equally have important consequences for 
planning and use of the Community's land area. The 
relationship of environmental protection to economic 
development is particularly sensitive, especially as 
quality of life is becoming an Important factor In the 
ability of regions and cities to attract new Investment. 
It Is becoming increasingly evident that the right 
balance between protection of a fragile environment and 
economic growth will be difficult to achieve unless there 
Is a clear view on how the physical environment within 
the Community should develop; 
The Community's human resources development policy and 
especially that concerning vocational training Influence 
the location of economic activity and thus has an impact 
on land use; 
Community regional policy, as recently strengthened by 
the single European Act, Is directly concerned In 
physical planning decisions throughout the Community 
given the Treaty objective of promoting "overall 
harmonious development". 
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Community assistance for regional development is 
necessarily concentrated on the regions with the most 
severe structural problems of underdevelopment or 
restructuring. However, regions throughout the Community 
are often crucially dependent on major Infrastructure or 
industrial investment projects located In other parts of 
the Community. Within the large market of 1992 
peripheral regions for example also have a direct 
interest In the completion of schemes within more central 
regions which will link all regions Into European-wide 
transport networks. 
Community regional policy should not simply be concerned 
with the role of providing financial assistance to a 
limited number of regions. It has also to address issues 
reflecting the use and development of Community territory 
as a whole. 
The development of the Community's territory within the large 
market needs also to be seen against the background of closer 
economic, social and cultural integration with neighbouring 
countrI es. 
For example the closer links between the Community and EFTA 
countries In a "European Economic Area" raises questions 
relating to the development of Infrastructure networks, 
involving links across Alpine regions to the South and with 
Scandinavia to the North. At the same time ties with Central 
and Eastern European countries and with those in the 
Mediterranean basin will undoubtedly have effects on the 
development of physical structures within the Community. 
AM the pressures and changes described above can produce 
both risks and opportunities for the well-balanced 
development of the Community's territory. Among the risks 
are the possible marginalisation of certain areas or the 
Increased Isolation of peripheral areas with consequential 
population movements; environmental damage and transport 
congestion; and wasteful competition where complementarity 
would have been more appropriate. On the other hand, the 
completion of the Single Market and introduction of new 
technologies offer opportunities for a better use of the 
Community's territory. 
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Community land space is limited. Its potential uses are 
restricted by geography and by social and cultural 
differences: seven out of twelve Member States are located In 
islands or peninsulas; there are sharp variations in 
population densities, with an average of 139 hab/km2 
compared to 26 hab/km2 In the U.S.A., but with certain 
areas with over 700 hab/km2. 
Strategic Investment decisions have lasting and often 
Irreversible consequences for our landscape. It is essential 
therefore that they are made In the light of the best 
available Information. The Community's Involvement In land 
use and physical planning stems from this. 
Member States, together with their regional and local 
authorities have responsibility for land use decisions. 
These public authorities are drawing up plans for the next 
decade: for basic infrastructures In transport, energy, water 
and telecommunications; for Investment In schools, hospitals 
and social services. These decisions have been increasingly 
decentralised, a good example of the application of the 
principle of subsidiarity. Public authorities however face 
growing difficulties in assessing the likely pressures on 
land and other resources from Influences external to their 
own territories. The Community dimension Itself Is playing 
an increasing role In their decision making process. They 
need Information on developments concerning Community 
territory as a whole in order to make the best decisions 
concerning their own Investments. 
In the private sector too, managers who are formulating 
business strategies need a broader framework of reference 
from public authorities which outlines the longer term trends 
and pressures shaping European markets. 
Where particular developments affect more than one Member 
State, there are relatively few means of consultation between 
Member States to avoid duplication or mismatch of investment 
effort. If there were a more coherent approach to the use of 
Community territory across frontiers then it would also be 
possible to maximise the potential benefits of the Single 
Market. 
The Community can help to attenuate the problems of the 
public and private sector decision makers by providing 
Information concerning developments throughout the Community. 
This is the purpose of the EUROPE 2000 document which will be 
prepared for the end of next year. 
It wll! aim to provide a framework of reference for public 
authorities, and for business, in their longer-term planning 
and decision-making. It Is In no way intended to be some 
kind of master plan of how the Community should develop. 
./. 
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The need for a coherent Community framework was already 
foreseen in the regulations on the Community's Structural 
Funds which It decided In 1988. (Cf. Article 10 of the ERDF 
regulation). Following on from this, at a first meeting of 
Regional Policy and Planning Ministers at Nantes In November 
198S, it was agreed to begin the process of a more systematic 
and collective discussion on physical planning at the 
Commun Ity I eve I. 
in a resolution adopted at the October 1990 session, the 
European Parliament also specifically called for a concerted 
approach to physical planning on a Community basis. 
Moreover, the work on transeuropean networks which is 
currently being carried out by the Commission for the 
internal Market Council underlines the need for development 
of physical Infrastructure on a Community-wide, and indeed 
European, basis. The Commission will Issue an Interim report 
on this subject shortly.<1) 
Cf the various influences shaping the use of the Commun Ity s 
territory over the next decade and beyond, some are more 
susceptible to quantitative analysis than others. This paper 
discusses factors of particular significance - population 
trends; new location factors for industry and services: 
developments in urban, rural and frontier areas; transport; 
energy; telecommunications; research and development; and the 
environment - identifying where further work Is needed, but 
serving as a basis for discussion between Regional Policy and 
Planning Ministers at their meeting in Turin on 23 and 
24 November. 
I I. Main Trends 
1. Population and Migration 
Popu i at ion : Population growth will vary across the 
Community - some of the northern Member States (Germany, 
Luxembourg, Belgium, Denmark) are likely to see negative 
growth, while peripheral regions (southern Spain, 
southern Italy, Ireland, Northern Ireland) will see an 
increase. The total population of the Community's 
present territory is, however, likely to remain stable, 
at around 340m. Within that stable total, there will be 
a progressive ageing as a result of the decline in birth 
(1) see also documents COM(89)643, COM(90)310, Conclusions 
of the Presidency of the European Council 9 December 
1989 and Council Resolution of 22 January 1990 (OJ N°C 
27 p8). 
./. 
rates In the 1960s and 1970s. The levelling off of the 
decline In birth rates In the north of the Community, 
coupled with a downward trend In birth rates in the 
south, means that this ageing effect Is likely to be 
spread across all the regions of the Community. Table 1 
shows a global Community picture of the age structure 
development up to the year 2015 and Map 1 shows the 
regional breakdown of the elderly population in 2010. As 
can be seen from the map, there Is a considerable 
diversity among regions of the proportion of eiderly by 
region. 
The supply of labour follows populations trends with a 
time-lag of some 15 years as new-born children are 
translated over time Into population of working age. In 
the Community as a whole a modest labour supply growth of 
around 1.5 million people by the year 2000 Is foreseen 
(see Table 2). The declining number of young people and 
the associated ageing of the workforce requires 
facilities for continuous education during adult life, as 
well as more targetted opportunities for re-training. 
Mi grat ion : Migratory trends often respond to 
international and Interregional differences In employment 
opportunities and wage levels. However, other factors 
such as linguistic and cultural differences, as well as 
the public policy attitude towards migration, prevent a 
direct response to economic impulses. 
There are essentially two types of migration which need 
to be considered at the Community level; migration 
Internally within the Community (both within Member 
States and between them), and migratory exchanges with 
third countries. Migratory flows within the Community 
have slackened off In recent years, as a result of less 
favourable employment opportunities In the core regions 
of the Community and of Member States. Whether this 
relative lack of geographical mobility of the workforce 
will be sustained or reversed depends to a great extent 
on the relative economic performance of the peripheral 
compared with core regions. 
Migration from third countries is less easy to predict, 
but will almost certainly continue to have an Important 
Influence on labour markets within the Community and in 
particular in large conurbations. The Single Market, by 
providing in principle greater mobility across national 
boundaries, could Increase that Influence, though 
cooperation and development policies with the countries 
concerned as well as national immigration policies may 
mitigate this. 
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Following on from these trends In population and 
migration, some questions that might be addressed 
Include: how is planning In the Member States themselves 
currently Influenced by these trends towards an ageing 
indigenous population and potentially significant 
immigration. To what extent are these trends taken into 
account in for example the provision of educational and 
social services Infrastructure (fewer schools, different 
housing needs, more hospitals, retirement homes, 
retraining facilities, etc). Is It already possible to 
discern specific developments resulting from changes in 
the population age profile e.g. migration of retired 
people to certain areas? What are the Implications for 
the major conurbations of even greater concentration of 
Immigrant communities In these areas? 
2. Mobility of economic activity: new location factors 
The Commission's approach to industrial issues in general 
Is set out in Its paper "industrial Policy In an Open and 
Competitive Environment". As regards locatlonal factors, 
the decline of some older industries has reduced the 
importance of traditional location factors such as the 
proximity of primary materials and energy. At the same 
time, progress In transport and communication technology, 
as well as the emergence of new methods of production 
organisation have greatly Increased the mobility of a 
large part of the Industrial and service sectors. This 
tendency will be reinforced by the completion of the 
internal market. This has led some studies to suggest 
that the proportion of total employment In the Community 
which can be considered to be potentially "geographically 
mobile" has Increased from around 30% in the 1950s to 
over 50%. 
Taking the Community as a whole, these factors have so 
far shown no sustained tendency to reduce regional 
disparities though there has been some catching up, most 
notably In Spain. 
The Commission has been active in instigating a dialogue 
with the business community on the factors that Influence 
location decisions. An In-depth survey was carried out 
among some 9.000 firms in regions throughout the 
Community*. The Commission also organised a conference 
"An Empirical Assessment of Factors Shaping Regional 
Competitiveness In Problem Regions" - Ifo - Institut fur 
Wlrtschaftsforschung, 1990 
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at Dublin Castle In June 1989 attended by over 100 senior 
business people. The conclusions of both Initiatives 
suggest that apart from other elements directly affecting 
profitability, such as the cost of capital, among the 
most Important factors influencing location decisions 
are: 
- rapid and efficient transport and communication 
systems; 
- the availability of a well qualified workforce; 
- access to local educational Institutions and research 
bod i es ; 
- the presence of high quality business services, as 
firms increasingly contract out servicesthey would 
previously have undertaken for themselves; 
- the quality of the social and cultural environment, 
Including sporting and leisure facilities. 
Because manufacturing and service sector companies have 
become much more spatially mobile, regional economic 
policy makers may well face increased inter-regional and 
Inter-city competition to retain or attract Investment. 
Hence Community policy needs to incorporate both an 
overall strategy to promote the Community's International 
competitiveness and attractiveness as a location for 
Inward investment and measures to shape regional 
competitiveness through provision of comprehensive 
packages that Include education and training, 
environmental Improvement, insertion of regional firms In 
Community wide R&D networks and the modernisation of 
transport and communications systems. The Commission has 
launched a number of initiatives to this end such as 
PRISMA, TELEMATIQUE and EUR0F0RM, which are concerned 
with the creation of services for SMEs, networks of data 
transmission and new qualifications and skills. 
in the light of these trends It is becoming Increasingly 
necessary for regions to develop a wider "cluster" of 
locatlonal advantages including educational and leisure 
facilities, specialised business services and a high 
quality of environment, as well as the basic requirements 
of physical Infrastructure and a skilled workforce. To 
what extent should regional policy be more directed 
towards support for this type of investment package? 
./. 
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3. Urban problems 
Since the end of the second world war, the population of 
the European Community has become Increasingly urbanised. 
Statistics from the beginning of the 1980s show that the 
Community* then had some 229 major metropolitan areas 
with populations greater than 330,000. Of these, 122 had 
core populations exceeding 200,000. The distribution of 
the 122 core city areas is shown in Table 3. 
European society has therefore become largely an urban 
society (Table 4 and Map 2). 
Urban areas cover a range of different types: from 
capital cities, large even by world standards with 
extensive suburban areas, to smaller cities which retain 
the character of provincial towns. The problems of urban 
areas differ, not Just In relation to their size and 
geography, though these factors are Important. Some have 
to deal with the problems of growth; some the problems of 
decline and decay; and others face both types of problem. 
Growth brings its own problems. The urban area becomes a 
magnet for growth in the region. The population 
Increases, property prices rise, traffic problems grow 
and the quality of life, often a catalyst for a city's 
growth, deteriorates. The problems of urban decline are 
characterised by a fall In population and often consist 
of a concentration of problems resulting In the decay of 
the physical fabric of neighbourhoods as well as social 
segregation and poverty. Localised areas of decay can be 
found in virtually all cities, even those which are 
growing and prosperous. "Inner city" problems are 
typical of older British cities. in France, comparable 
problems are mainly found on city peripheries or In older 
and smaller satellite industrial communities. Finally, 
suburban areas of the major conurbations have special 
problems, particularly relating to transport. 
* not Including the old East Germany 
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From a land use viewpoint, It is clear that the 
increasing restrictions on urban development and the 
protection of green field areas will have Implications 
over the decades ahead for existing urban areas. However, 
rural depopulation is expected to continue despite the 
Introduction of policies aimed at stemming this. Concern 
about quality of life Issues such as noise, Inconvenience 
of commuting, waste disposal and so on may reduce the 
attractiveness of city life but is unlikely to lead to a 
reversal In the trend of urbanisation. There Is some 
suggestion however that all these factors will result in 
faster rates of growth in intermediate-sized towns and 
cities compared with the largest conurbations. 
it is worth noting that the Community has no 
responsibility for urban policy as such. It does not 
feature in the Treaty. But the Community's environmental 
responsibilities and the action it undertakes through the 
Structural Funds for economic and social cohesion lead it 
to play an Important role In the development of cities. 
The Community can play a limited role In urban renewal 
though the scope of Its Interventions is at present 
limited to certain types of Investment and many areas 
e.g. housing, are excluded. 
The Commission has recently issued a Green Paper on the 
Urban Environment which Is presently being discussed in 
the Member States. 
Just as the regions are developing their own identity 
within the Single Market, so cities are also seeking to 
establish their role and identity. The new economic 
context will see changes in the function of cities and 
often increase competition between them. At the same 
time, cities are developing complementary links to 
enhance their own particular specialisations. This 
manifests itself In the establishment of networks and 
groupings whereby cities seek to establish links 
concerning common problems, pool resources to realise 
economies of scale and foster technological cooperation. 
For example the Polls network was set up by 32 cities, 
co-financed by the Community, to devise new traffic 
management solutions and develop convergence In the new 
technology being developed. Urban networks offers the 
opportunity for European cities to compete more 
effectively in world markets. 
These trends call for greater attention to be paid at the 
Community level both to the problem of development of 
urban areas and to the potential benefits of contact and 
cooperation between cities within the Community. In 
particular, Member States may wish to comment on the 
scope for the development of urban renewal actions and 
Increased cooperation between cities. 
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Rural Development 
Although agricultural output In the Community has 
continued to Increase, Its share In total GDP has 
declined. About 7.7% of the working population of the 
Community Is employed In the agricultural sector 
(Including forestry and fishing), but this figure is 
conrtlnulng to decrease. The share could be as low as 
half of this In 2010 for the Community as a whole. 
Agriculture, however, will continue to play a significant 
role In the future development of rural areas, not Just 
In economic, but also In socio-political terms. The 
latter Is particularly true of, Inter-alia, the 
Mediterranean regions, where It Is estimated that 75% of 
the Community's agricultural population will be located 
by the year 2000. 
Regional differences are also evident In the types of 
problems encountered by rural areas as defined In the 
Commission's Communication on the "Future of the Rural 
World" In 1988: 
- In rural areas within regions of high population 
density, such as northern Germany and the Benelux 
countries, the reduction in agricultural activity can 
often be compensated for by the creation of Industrial 
and service Jobs, and the pattern of land use changes 
accord Ingly; 
- In rural areas where agriculture Is on the decline but 
where It still accounts for the largest part of the 
active population, such as In northern Spain, the 
ageing of the agricultural community and the lack of 
alternative work points to depopulation and limited 
development prospects in the future; 
- In rural areas where the population is already on the 
decline, for example the mountain areas of France, 
parts of Ireland and western Scotland, population 
density tends to be extremely low (less than 25 per 
square kilometre) and the potential for the 
diversification of economic activity limited. 
The decline In the Community's agricultural population Is 
not, of course, a new phenomenon. Nor is the 
depopulation process at an end. This poses a number of 
problems for the use of Community land. Over 80% of 
Community territory is taken up by agriculture and 
forestry, but only 10-20% of the Community's population 
Is Involved. The capacity of rural areas to deal with 
their own problems Is handicapped by the fact that income 
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per head is lower than In neighbouring Industrial areas 
and that the active population In agriculture is 
relatively old, with over 50% of farmers presently aged 
over 55 (see Table 5). The proportion of farmers over 65 
Is likely to continue to grow over the next 10 years. 
The future economic development of rural areas will 
become increasingly dependent on sectors other than 
agriculture: tourism, forestry, industry. In some areas, 
these alternative rural activities will replace 
agriculture, whilst in others they will be additional. 
Already some 37% of Community farmers engage in secondary 
activities-, forecasts suggest the figure will be 50% in 
the year 2000. 
If the current GATT negotiations succeed in their agreed 
aim of reducing agricultural subsidies, this - together 
with the continuing adjustment of the CAP - is likely to 
Involve further changes In Community agriculture, with 
commensurate implications for the rural economy. These 
adjustments are likely to give increased emphasis to 
environmentally-friendly agriculture measures. 
The concept of rural development therefore needs to 
continue to move away from the solely agricultural view 
to a more global view. Agricultural, environmental and 
other economic development policies must be integrated 
into an overall strategy, which concentrates on tapping 
the potential of each kind of rural area within the 
Community as a whole. The existence of an educational 
and training fabric In rural areas Is a condition for 
stemming rural dépopulation. This could exploit the 
potential of multi-media, distance and open-1 earning 
technologies. 
The reform of the Community Structural Funds already 
reflects this new approach. Most of the Community 
territory under Objective 1 Is rural. Objective 5b areas 
are rural by definition. In addition to assistance 
provided through the Community Support Frameworks, the 
Commun Ity has Iaunched the LEADER In111at Ive aImed at 
integrating rural areas In the overall economic system 
(exploitation of region's own potential, use of modern 
technology), though at present the means at the 
Community's disposal for rural development are limited. 
These trends call for adaptation of both the Community's 
and Member States policies affecting rural areas. How 
can diversification strategies overcome the obstacles of 
low population density and low Incomes? What role can 
new communications technologies play In encouraging the 
location of new activities in rural areas, especially in 
the development of towns In rural areas. 
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5. Border areas 
As defined for Community purposes (see Map 3), border 
regions cover some 15% of the total territory and account 
for some 10% of Community population. The removal of 
Internal frontiers within the Community is likely to have 
its most powerful spatial effects on border areas. They 
will have to adjust to new roles within the wider 
European space compared with their position on the 
periphery of the Member States, with a legacy of national 
and local administrative practice which still Inhibits 
cross-border cooperation. It is for these areas that the 
need for consultation and concertation in physical 
planning Is greatest. 
Border areas experience particular disadvantages In 
regard to physical and economic planning which arise 
directly from their location: 
- at the extremities of transport and communications 
systems that have traditionally been planned on a 
national basis, they often have relatively poor 
Infrastructures within adequate cross-border 
connect ions; 
- as commercial centres are often artificially separated 
from their natural hinterlands, thus causing 
distortions in patterns of trade; 
- unable to sustain public services (health, education, 
training) In a national context or liable to duplicate 
services available on the other side of the border; 
- facing differences In taxation and social welfare 
systems, language and employment practices, all of 
which may hamper the mobility of labour across national 
boundarles. 
But the removal of administrative barriers does not of 
itself ensure the establishment of normal economic 
relationships across borders. Sustained and targetted 
effort Is required to achieve co-operative cross-border 
action. The adoption of the INTERREG Community 
Initiative represents an Important step In this 
direction. The Commission will undertake In close 
consultation with the Member States an examination of 
legislative and administrative provisions governing 
cross-border activity, and will In the light of this, 
assess whether further measures are needed to reinforce 
planning and cooperation. 
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What views do the Member States have about measures which 
could assist in establishing concerted planning in border 
areas. 
Transport networks 
Continuing traffic growth is expected to outstrip the 
extension and improvement of the transport system, 
aggravating congestion, especially In the central regions 
and the main population centres elsewhere. The 
development of high speed networks will have a positive 
Impact only on certain regions of the Community. 
Improved links between the centre and the periphery can 
help to relieve congestion as well as contributing to 
more balanced development. 
For road traffic, continuing rapid growth In passenger 
traffic is expected as the number and use of private 
vehicles Increase extensively. Map 4 shows traffic flows 
on the main routes in the Community. The growth In road 
traffic has led to increased congestion In high density 
areas such as the Benelux and in some heavily used north-
south routes such as the Rhône Valley, some Alpine 
valleys, and the London-Dover corridor. Bottlenecks will 
inevitably spread In land transport Infrastructure unless 
annual growth In road traffic falls below 1.3%. 
Especially where availability of land is limited by the 
nature of terrain, solving these congestion problems can 
conflict with the need to protect the environment. 
As to air transport, annual growth rates are likely to 
remain above 6% for several years. Increases In regional 
airport traffic have been the main component of overall 
growth (with some extremely high growth in 1989, for 
example 19.3% at Birmingham, 19.5% at Porto, 20.4% at 
Montpellier). Traffic and congestion have also Increased, 
however, at the principal international airports. 
Reported peak period flight delays tripled between 1986 
and 1987 and then nearly tripled again between 1987 and 
1988. Map 5 shows the overall picture for passengers and 
freight movements in the Community's principal airports 
In 1989. 
The problems of rail transport are not so much those of 
growth, but of the capability of the railways to cope 
with the evolution of transport demand. After losing 
ground over recent decades In relation to other sectors, 
rail traffic should Increase between now and the turn of 
the century as a result of the development of TGV 
networks and multimodal transport techniques. 
./• 
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Inland waterway systems for large commercial vessels are 
only significant In Germany, the Benelux countries and In 
eastern France. There has been an Increase in 
International cargoes, which now represent 60% of the 
total, and although the overall length of the system Is 
diminishing, Its effectiveness Is Increasing thanks to a 
number of technical innovations. 
Although there are clear Indications that the European 
transport network Is heading towards saturation, the 
construction of new Infrastructure Is held back by a 
number of constraints: 
- financial: Investment In the transport sector fell from 
1.5% of Community GDP In 1975 to 0.9% In 1985; 
- environmental: new Infrastructures generate Increased 
traffic, which produces more pollution and creates 
increased resistance to such developments in local 
commun 11 ies; 
- use of air space: available land is scarce, 
particularly for airports near large conurbations. 
The continuing Increase in demand for transport presents 
Europe with problems which have a vital spatial 
component. The full benefits of the large market can 
only be realised If the required Infrastructure Is in 
place. This Is at the heart of the Community's transport 
policy. The negotiation of the Single Economic space 
with EFTA and the opening up of Eastern Europe (with the 
cooperation of Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslavia vital 
for transit traffic) all emphasise the wider European 
dimension of this question. Reflection on these 
questions Is being carried out by the 'Transport 2000' 
group. 
At present regional policy initiatives In transport 
infrastructure concentrate on opening up peripheral 
regions. (The ERDF provided some 8400 million Ecu for 
financing transport Infrastructures In 1975-88, with some 
5.900 million Ecu will be spent in 1989-93.) This 
approach could be made more effective in the context of a 
concerted approach to European physical planning. 
Without a global approach there Is a risk of new regional 
inequalities being added to the old ones. The 
development of high speed rail, road and air networks 
marks a fundamental Improvement. But It could divide the 
Community into unequal zones. Gaps are likely to remain 
between the main links of the system; and some peripheral 
areas may remain untouched, unless further action Is 
taken. 
./• 
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The accurate prediction of traffic trends, and of their 
impact, helps In the achievement of an appropriate 
balance between different forms of transport, with 
special regard to environmental needs. The creation of 
multimodal transport networks (as Introduced in 
Switzerland and under consideration In France) combined 
with modern telematic technology could lead to more 
efficient land use and Improved environmental protection. 
The productivity of transport Infrastructure could be 
improved by optimal positioning of links between high­
speed transport networks. For example, good TGV/airport 
links are essential for effective communications between 
the more developed centres of the Community, where TGV 
services are competitive, and the peripheral and 
peninsular regions where air transport is likely to 
continue to be more Important. 
The productivity of transport networks can be adversely 
affected by poor connections with other Infrastructures. 
Airports or TGV stations are often served by urban 
transport systems which are old or unreliable, reducing 
the economic impact of the high speed network. 
Investment efforts In local networks should go hand In 
hand with the construction of new high speed systems. 
Development of communications networks have, as part of 
Community regional policy, emphasised the benefits of 
linking the periphery with the centre; whilst this 
priority must remain, should not Importance not now also 
be given to means of linking the peripheral areas with 
one another? How else can new disparities caused by high 
speed networks be avoided? 
Energy infrastructures 
The continued growth of demand for energy points to the 
need for strengthening cooperation at the European level 
In Investment and In the planning and management of 
infrastructures. 
By 1995 the over-capacity of electricity production in 
the Community as a whole will have disappeared. A 
Community priority will be the better Integration of 
energy transmission systems, In order to reduce the need 
for new power stations and their potential environmental 
impact. Moreover, the development of technologies 
enabling the clean and economic use of coal and the safe 
use of nuclear power will also be treated as priorities. 
Current energy price Increases emphasise the need for 
further Community actions promoting the efficient use of 
all sources of energy. 
./• 
- 17 -
Sources of energy do still have a considerable impact on 
the mobility of certain sectors of Industry. An 
Incomplete energy network might tend to increase regional 
development disparities. A coherent perspective on the 
use of Community territory together with appropriate 
efforts to reinforce the operation of networks could 
provide the basis for more efficient Investments In 
energy Infrastructure. The completion of European-wide 
networks (to which the REGEN initiative will make an 
Important contribution, especially for gas) will be 
particularly significant In the peripheral regions. 
Renewable sources of energy, such as hydro-electric power 
and biomass, could be particularly appropriate in meeting 
the energy needs of rural areas. The contribution of 
these sources to total primary energy supply could be 
substantial In certain areas through better Inter­
regional coordination. 
The choice of appropriate sites for power stations, 
storage of liquefied gas and energy transport networks 
will need to take Into account the protection of the 
environment. The siting of energy Infrastructures can 
raise particular problems between Member States, 
especially In border areas. 
In urban areas the better coordination of physical 
planning and energy programming would have certain 
advantages. it would enable energy consumption to be 
reduced, thereby releasing financial resources for other 
activities and helping to reduce atmospheric pollution. 
Member States could address how European energy networks 
can be further Integrated to ensure efficiency and 
security of supply across the whole of the Community 
territory; and also how they can be better linked to 
other supply sources In the rest of Europe and North 
Afrlea. 
8. Telecommunications 
Telecommunications play a crucial role In the development 
and competItIvIty of the economies of the European 
Community. It is estimated that the total world market 
value of management and transport of Information exceeds 
500 billion Ecu and that by the end of this century more 
than 60 million jobs will be highly dependent on 
Information services and telecommunications. 
- 18 -
International telecommunications traffic has Increased by 
around 20% per year since 1980 and reached 30 billion 
minutes In 1990 (partly due to the rapid rise In 
facsimile transmissions). 
The phenomenal growth In the production, supply and use 
of telecommunications has spatial implications. The 
largest share of telecommunications activity is 
concentrated in large conurbations, In particular In the 
more advanced regions of the Community. By contrast, 
lagging regions of the Community are often characterised 
by inadequate telecommunications infrastructure and lack 
of awareness of advanced telecommunications services and 
products. 
Furthermore, rural regions experience, on the whole, a 
slower Introduction of new telecommunication technology, 
mainly due to higher costs of supplying and maintaining 
services to these regions compared to urban centres. 
The completion of the Internal market will be faclI Itated 
by the free flow of Information throughout the 
telecommunications networks of the Community. Trade, 
commerce, financial and other services, transport, health 
care, central and regional government are all 
Increasingly telecommunications-dependent. The Commun Ity 
Is laying the foundations for the technology and 
standards for a cost-effective, Inter-communI catIng broad 
band network for the future. The Community is helping to 
create networks for electronic trade data Interchange 
(TEDIS) and to enable public administrations to 
communicate (INS IS and CADDIA). The Community Is also 
addressing the regulatory environment In order to ensure 
effective, open access to all users wherever they may be 
in the Community (Open Network Provision). 
There Is clear scope for evaluation and planning of the 
spatial distribution of telecommunications services over 
the medium term so as to achieve the necessary 
convergence between the Community's regions, this 
convergence requiring a balanced development In: 
- the existing services In the less favoured regions to 
bring them up to a level comparable with the rest of 
the Community; 
- the Introduction of new and advanced communication 
facilities and services In all areas of the Community 
Including rural and peripheral areas with ease of 
access by SMEs and other users In those areas; 
- the completion of any missing links in the main 
communication networks. 
/. 
- 19 -
The Community programmes STAR and TELEMATIQUE have these 
object Ives. 
Member States might comment on how their own national 
strategies address these spatial Issues, and how the 
Community actions might be further developed. In 
particular, what mechanisms can help overcome the 
profitability disadvantages of investments In remoter, 
more sparsely populated areas? 
Research and Innovation 
The relationship between Investment (public and private) 
In research and development, innovative products and 
processes and regional economic growth Is well 
established. It is not an accident that those regions 
which have relatively high levels of economic growth are 
also those which have high levels of Investment In 
research and development and Innovation. Investment In 
these fields is a pre-requI si te for sustained regional 
economic development. 
But just as disparities exist in economic growth 
performance throughout the Community's regions, so 
disparities exist In regions' research capacity and 
potential. Studies which the Commission has carried out 
show Indeed that the scale of the disparities In R&D are 
far greater than the socio-economic disparities between 
our regions. To avoid being disadvantaged a region needs 
a good level of research and development Infrastructure, 
qualified personnel and a technology transfer capacity. 
In the Community, three quarters of total (I.e. public 
and private) R&D expenditure is concentrated In Germany, 
France and the U.K. Highly uneven distributions exist 
within Member States. And the technological gap within 
the Member States Is wider than between Member States. 
Companies in the electronics and Informatics sectors 
often cluster around one another in a particular 
location. This can sometimes be explained by the 
presence of well-established and reputable centres of 
excellence or university research department. The role 
of higher education Institutions in providing qualified 
personnel for research and innovation as well as 
undertaking Innovative projects for Industry can 
influence Investment location. Concentration becomes a 
self-relnforclng process as good research results 
encourage further investment. 
- 20 -
This tendency towards concentration raises important 
questions for public policy. Although It Is clear that 
all regions cannot have similar levels of research 
Infrastructure, each should at least have the technology 
transfer structures which will allow It to use to Its 
advantage the fruits of research elsewhere. The European 
Community has a role to play on the question of science, 
research, development and technology transfer. Through 
the research projects under the R&D Framework Programme 
and Structural Funds Including the Stride Initiative, the 
Commission is supporting a better regional balance. This 
is also supported by the Community's education programme 
COMETT which assists the rapid dissemination of research 
findings. THe Commission has also launched a programme 
called Sprint which seeks to strengthen the 
infrastructure for Innovation services through the 
establishment of Intra-CommunIty networks, and Includes 
specific actions for the less favoured regions. 
Member States might like to comment on how to encourage a 
wider regional distribution of research capabilities and 
on how to make research carried out in the regions more 
responsive to local needs. 
10. Quality of the Environment 
There Is a growing consensus that economic development 
decisions need to take greater account of long-term 
resource and environment costs. 
A Community approach to environmental problems is also 
necessary In order to ensure common conditions for the 
Single Market and Joint action to combat common pollution 
problems (see Map 6). Among the environmental challenges 
facing the Community are: 
- serious air pollution levels In Industrial 
conurbations: concentrations of S02 and NOx In the 
Community's largest agglomerations (see Map 7); 
- problems in the supply and availability of water and 
also in water pollution. The first problem affects 
many areas In the south of Europe. Examples of the 
second are continuing high river and groundwater 
polIut ion ; 
- soil erosion, particularly In Mediterranean regions, 
and soli pollution In zones In Industrial decline; 
- threats to the natural heritage, disappearing habitats 
and species; 
•/• 
- 21 -
- conflicting pressures on land use In coastal areas 
where the absence of control Is leading to significant 
environmental damage; 
- environmental conditions becoming an Increasingly 
Important factor In locational decisions, and in the 
development of tourism-, 
- the heavy costs of environmental rehabilitation for 
Instance In the new German Lander. 
The Community's territory Is characterised by 
considerable diversity in Its environment. The south 
tends to be ecologically richer than the north: for 
example there are as many plant species in the Alpes 
Maritimes as there are in the whole of Great Britain; 60% 
of the Community's floral species and 70% of Its mammal 
and amphibian species are to be found In Italy. 
Pollution types and levels also differ considerably, 
depending on economic circumstances and on the strength 
and Implementation of legislation. 
The reform of the Structural Funds emphasised the need to 
Integrate the environmental dimension into the 
Community's regional policies. Spending on environmental 
programmes Is Increasing more rapidly In real terms than 
before. The Community Initiative ENVI REG will contribute 
to a closer coordination between economic development and 
environmental protection, particularly In Mediterranean 
coastal areas. 
Member States might give their views on the priority to 
be given to environmental Investment in regional 
development. 
11. Coastal areas dependent on fisheries. 
In addition to the 300.000 fishermen, activities In the 
field of fisheries and agriculture also generate a number 
of associated activities (construction of boats, 
processing Industry, commercial activities etc.). In 
1986, these represented 1.15 % of the active population 
In the Commun i ty. 
Taking all the coastal areas of the Community together, 
there Is a clear concentration of fisheries activities In 
certain regions, where their role In the regional economy 
Is particularly important. These are to be found both on 
the European mainland (Mediterranean, Gallcia, Andalusia, 
Bretagne, West Scotland, Ireland, Jutland) and in Island 
regions (Canary Islands, Greek Islands, Sicily, Scottish 
Islands, Bornholt). 
./. 
- 22 -
The decline of resources and the reduction of certain 
traditional fishing activities have led to the decline 
of certain regions. The necessity to restructure this 
sector in view of a better balance between resources and 
fishing capacity will Increase regional disparities. 
Aquaculture is both a traditional and a modern activity 
which is heavily dependent on the surrounding 
environment. Its development and its potential Is 
conditioned both by exogenous (pollution, tourism, 
industrial development) and endogenous (availability of 
juveniles, concentration) factors. 
It can offer alternatives to the development of those 
regions heavily dependent on fishing, on the condition 
that this Is done In a wider context which takes other 
human activities Into consideration. 
The restructuring and the development of the fishing and 
aquaculture sectors should be envisaged within a 
framework which allows the cooperation at the regional 
level of the various public and private actors concerned 
with physical planning, Industrial development, tourism, 
urbanisation. 
Despite the difficulties of managing fishing activities 
which go beyond the strictly regional context, is It not 
also necessary to promote a regional approach In order to 
solve the economic and social problems faced by the 
fishing industry? Although the management of fishing 
resources has a Community dimension, is It not also 
necessary to promote a greater degree of co-operation 
between local authorities affected by these problems? 
III. Next Steps 
As noted earlier, this paper has been produced in order to 
help stimulate a debate on the Issues raised above. The 
Commission will produce the document EUROPE 2000 by the end 
of 1991. That document will Identify current and emerging 
general trends in the Community, provide a synthesis of how 
these various factors impact on land use and consequential 
socio-economic developments, examine the Inter-dependence 
between regions and set out the possible scenarios. To this 
end, the Commission Is launching a number of studies. 
The first set of studies takes a Community wide approach, 
analysing developments that will shape land use over the next 
decade, Including some of those mentioned above: demography 
and migration; new location factors for Industry and 
services; evolution of the transport, energy, 
- 23 
telecommunications, tourism and leisure sectors; urbanisation 
and future functions of cities; resource management and 
pollution; and the Impact of developments In neighbouring 
areas of the south and east Mediterranean, centra I/eastern 
Europe and Scandinavia. 
The second set of studies examines how regions In 
geographical proximity, Irrespective of national boundaries, 
themselves see the land and resource use Issues. The 
Atlantic regions, the western Mediterranean, the Alps, the 
central Mediterranean and the North Sea regions will be among 
the areas to be studied. 
A system of monitoring and updating of the Information 
collected from the studies will be established. 
In drawing up this document which will act as a reference 
framework, the Commission will be assisted by the Member 
States, and will consult the European Parliament. It also 
considers that the Issues raised In this paper are among 
those which in the longer term Justify the further 
Involvement of regional and local authorities in discussions 
at Community level on the lines that it has recently proposed 
in Its opinion on political union of 21st October 1990 
(COM(90)600). in the initial instance It will consult 
regional and local authorities through the existing 
Consultative Council which advises it well as though seminars 
and experts groups. 
./• 
ANNEX : MAPS AND TABLES<*> 
MAPS 
1 Projected age structure: Percentage of the population 
over 65 by 2010. 
Source : CEC/Netherlands Economic Institute 
2 Population density and urban centres 
Source : CEC Eurostat Regio database, DG XI COR I NE 
settlements database 
3 Border Regions 
Source: CEC 
4 Motorway network and vehicular flows, 1985 
Source : United Nations, Census (Prof. IBF Kormoss) 
5 Air transport : Principal airports, aircraft movements 
passengers and freight handled, 1989 
Source : ADP, Aéroports de Paris 1990 
6 Airborne pollution : Sulphur deposition by source 
Source : Environmental Resource Ltd. 
7 Air pollution : SO? emissions 
Source : CEC DG XI Corlnair database 
TABLES 
1 Ageing of the European Population 
2 Ageing of the labour force 1990-2015 
3 Distribution of major metropolitan areas by Member 
State 
4 Urbanisation and urban growth in Member States 
5 Farmers In the EC by age group 
(*) Research, data processing and cartography by DG XI 
(COR I NE data base) and Professor IBF Kormoss. Most of 
the maps and tables do not include the relevant data 
for the new German Lander, and were prepared pre-
uni fI cat ion. 
Table 1 
Popul.it ion pymnnrK, ,"»I>V)' I'P ( » 111(H)) .trvf '.li.irp-, {'/.) 
(projrctr<J fertility) 
absolute numbers share (%) 
E.C.-12 
Mal* Famata Mal* EC-12 
?•»•• 
Source : Demogfaphic Evolution through time in European Regions, 
Netherlands Economic Institute, August 1990 Table 1 
Popul.it ion pyr.innrl';, ,i!>r,i>'. M»P ( » 10(H)) .trvl '.II.MP-, ('/.) 
(projrctr»! fertility) 
absolute numbers share (%) 
E.C.-12 
Mal* Famata Mal* EC-12 
Faara* 
Source : Demogfaphic Evolution through time in European Regions, 
Netherlands Economic Institute, August 1990 
Table 2 
Aqeing of the Labour Tore? 1990-?01r> ('>'. in an0 qroup) 
(projector! fertility ,md projected arlivity rates) 
Country 
Belgium 
Denmark 
France 
Germany 
Greece 
Ireland 
Italy 
Luxembourg 
Netherlands 
Portugal 
Spain 
United Kingdom 
EC-12 .ip,e 1 5 - 24 
1990 2000 2010 
14.6 12.2 11.8 
20.A 15.9 16.0 
16.1 13.2 13.1 
18.3 12.5 13.8 
14.2 12.4 9.2 
21.7 22.4 15.3 
18.7 13.9 12..5 
16.5 13.9 14.1 
. 18.0 13.0 14.5 
22.3 18.8 13.5 
21.4 18.0 13.8 
21.5 17.0 18.4 
18.9 14.7 14.3 age 50f 
1990 2000 2015 
14.1 14.3 : 19.2 
19.1 24.1 27.5 
17.4 18.7 22.3 
21.8 22.3 30.0 
25.5 23.1 26.4 
18.3 18.0 20.3 
19.6 19.4 • 24.2 
17.1 18.8 24.3 
14.2 17.7 22.6 
21.0 19.5 25.2 
18.7 16.5 21.7 
20.2 22.2 25.9 
19.5 20.0 24.9 
Source : Demographic Evolution through time in European Regions. 
Netherlands Economic Institute, August 1990. 
Table 3 
Distribution of major metropolitan areas by Member State 
Country Number of major % of National 
metropolitan Areas population I Ivlng In 
major metropolitan areas (1981) 
Belgium/Luxembourg A 69 
Denmark 2 46 
France 22 48 
Germany 28 63 
Greece 2 45 
I re land 1 40 
Italy 17 46 
Nether lands 4 44 
United Kingdom 24 64 
Spain 16 57 
Portugal 2 60 
EEC 12 """" ! : ! ! TIz - '. "" ~ «" 
Source: "Urban Problems and Regional Policy In the European 
Community",CEC/Readtng University, 1988, pTO. 
Table 4 Urbanisation degree and urban growth 
Countries Urban population Average annual growth 
as a percentage of rate (in percent) 
total population 
1965 1988 1965-80 1980-88 
Belgium 93 
Denmark 77 
France 67 
Germany (F.R.) 79 
Germany (D.R.) 73 
Greece 4 8 
Ireland 49 
Italy 62 
Luxembourg 
Netherlands £6 
Portugal 24 
Spain £1 
United Kingdom £7 ' 97 
86 
74 
86 
77 
62 
SB 
68 0.4 
.1.1 
1.3 
0,7 0,2 
0,3 
0,5 
0,1 
(no figures available) 
2,0 
2,1 
1,0 
(no figures available) 
88 1,2 
32 1,7 
77 2,2 
Ç2 •: *, 0,5 1,3 
.1,1" 
0.5 
0,5 
1.9 
1.3 
0.4 
Austria 
Switzerland 51 
*"5 57 
61 0,8 
1.0 0.6 
1.3 
Wotes: Ths Growth Rates are calculated fro* the World Bank's 
•stiaates. Because of different national definition» of «mat 
is urban, crosc-country comparisons should be interpreted 
with caution. 
Source: Vorld Development Report 1990, pp. 238-239 
and 244-243 
Table 5 
FARJCRS IN THE EC BY KOE CROUP Is PERCENTAGE 
Age Belgium Deraaark German/ Greece Spain Fronce Ireland Italy lux. Mdl*. Portugal IX EC12 
under 45 33.4 29.4 33,4 21,0 20,6 25,3 2/.. 7 18,9 28,4 31,7 25,0 26.5 22,7 
45 - 55 30,6 24,4 35,0 25,7 27,7 26,3 24,7 25,4 26,7 28,2 25,6 25,0 26,9 
55 - 65 27.2 26.4 25,6 26,6 28,1 33,1 28,3 30,3 25,6 27,7 24,8 27,4 28,7 
over 65 8,8 19,7 6,2 26,6 23,5 15,2 22,3 25,4 19,3 12.4 24,6 21,0 21,7 
Source : Euroatat and 1989, Agricultural Report of the Federal Government, Bonn. 


DOCUMENT EUROPE 200 
Bcrdsr regions as defined in 
Com 0(90)1562/3 INTERBEG 
Les régions frontalières définies 
dans COM C(90)1562/3 INTERREG i fi 
Objective 1 areas 
Objective 2 areas 
Objective 5b areas 
Objective 2 and 5b areas 
n?. TOC lue m cir ru ÏI'T» m rct.vc to ?u 

DOCUMENT EUROPE 2000! 
Map 5.1 Motor Traffic on 
Main International 
Traffic Arteries (1985) 
farte 5.1 Volume de Trafic Motorise 
sur les Grands Routes de 
Circulation Internationale (1985) 

DOCUMENT EUROPE 2000 
Map 7.2 Air Pollution 
S02 emissions (1985) 
Carte 7.2 Pollution de l'Air 
Emissions de S02 (1985) 
LEGEND T/km2/year 
x 0 4 ! ! 
jl 
il 
I ! 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(90) 544 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 01 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-90-579-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-66043-0 
PRICE 1 - 30 pages: 3.50 ECU per additional 10 pages: 1.25 ECU 
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