And yet even today the very interpretation of the term spatial (or regional) planning is still the subject of great disagreement. Taken in the context of the way in which this policy area is conceived in France, the term "Aménagement du territoire" can most accurately be translated as "spatial organisation". The German definition (general orientations and means to implement development objectives) reveals that the scope of Raumordnung is of a much broader nature. German spatial planning policy is the on-going political process of dealing with spatial problems in an integrated manner, within the political system, in a way which both enjoys democratic legitimation and is sustainable. Aménagement du territoire in France, on the other hand, is still dominated by the narrower approach characterised by the notion of "economic utilisation of space".
In the past the discrepancies between these two very different views have been an obstacle to technical communication and to political practice at European level and have consequently impeded cooperative action in this field. It is for this reason that the term "spatial development policy"-which is both more immediately understandable and unencumbered by any particular national tradition-has recently begun to find favour for use in political debate at European level among EU Member States. This term can be seen as representing a pragmatic compromise between the various approaches; it can also easily be translated into the various languages without giving rise to misunderstanding: "Spatial development policy is understood to be a policy which promotes spatial development in accordance with specific principles and general outlines"; by implication this includes taking decisions on these principles and general precepts and on the aims to be derived for spatial development.
On the basis of the European Regional/Spatial Planning Charter and the EU document Europe 2000+, the EU Ministers with responsibility for Spatial Planning reached agreement at the meeting of the informal Council in Leipzig on 21-22 September 1994 on what were termed Principles for a European Spatial Development Policy. These identify the major aims for European spatial development as:
- the promotion of economic and social cohesion within the EU (long-term, economic and social progress) through the reduction of disparities in the level of development currently prevailing in the various regions and the creation of a more balanced spatial structure, and
- sustainable development with regard to both a form of economic development which not only shows respect for the environment, but also preserves existing resources and safeguards the possibility of their utilisation for coming generations, as well as to its compatibility with balanced spatial development and with preserving existing diversity and encompassing all human activity.
Actual implementation of these aims at European, national, regional and communal level must have special regard for regional diversity in Europe, and thus for the specific situation and the level of development found in each region, especially in drawing up aims for regional development.
This is the sense in which the term "European Spatial Development Policy" should in future be used in EU practice at European level in order to underline more effectively-and in a way more consistent with the aims of the EU-the greater influence of the EU on processes of regional development.
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