The MOT at the 2026 ARL Congress: what role will territorial cooperation play in the Europe of tomorrow?
The discussions highlighted the need to view competitiveness and cohesion as complementary objectives. They also emphasized the importance of preserving the territorial roots of cohesion policy by relying on multilevel governance, local capacity for action, and cooperation among territories.
Jean Peyrony, Director General of the MOT, spoke on October 2 during the “Visions for Europe” roundtable, which focused on developing, by 2029, a forward-looking vision for European spatial planning by 2050, an initiative launched by Poland during its EU presidency in 2025. He called for cross-border regions to be placed at the heart of this vision.
The discussions also highlighted various national approaches to territorial development, notably through a presentation on Swiss land-use planning policy, which is characterized by its consideration of cross-border and European integration issues.
KEY DOCUMENTS/WEBSITES
- More info on the 2026 ARL Congress
- First Recap of the 2026 ARL Congress on European Regional Policy in Times of Transition
- Toward Spatial visions contributing to Cross border and European cohesion, Jean Peyrony. Published in "disP - The Planning Review", 61(1), Taylor & Francis Group, 2025
- A future for the European patchwork. Cohesion through spatial planning since 1990', ARL International, February 2026
- European Spatial Visions, Peter Ache, Published in "disP - The Planning Review", 61(1), Taylor & Francis Group, 2025
