The Europeanization of Dutch National Spatial Planning: an Uphill Battle Wil Zonneveld , 2005

1. The Europeanization of Dutch National Spatial Planning: an Uphill BattleWil Zonneveld , 2005 1950s and 1960s: The First and the Second Memorandum • A twin policy of recognition of coherent urban ring, Ringstad, and diversion of industrial growth to the periphery of the Netherlands • Dutch territory as a part of North Sea region, analogous to the Atlantic Seaboard in the US • Standing conference of Regions in North-West Europe from 1959 • Cooperation ideas did not translate into policy measures and in 1968 Germany preferred the Council of Europe as institutional framework 1970s : The Third Memorandum • Spatial planning focused on people’s daily living environment • The European scale disappeared from the document Europeanization of Dutch National Spatial Planning

2. Late 1980s: The Fourth Memorandum • Boosting competitive position, focus on Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol Airport • Concept of compact city • ESDP and European Regional Development Fund • Merely ‘a look at outer world’: no analysis of developments and trend in neighbouring countries Late 1990s and 2000s : The Fifth Memorandum • Categorically international recommendations: - Genuine international planning policy - Region-specific concepts - Key policy actions at European, transnational, and cross-border levels - Discussion of the memorandum with foreign partners - ESDP as guiding tool • Novel idea of layered spatial structures: ground, networks, land use layers • Idea of urban networks on regional level with integrated housing and labour market and excellent transport connections Europeanization of Dutch National Spatial Planning

3. A statutory map from National Spatial Strategy Europeanization of Dutch National Spatial Planning

4. Late 1990s and 2000s : The Fifth Memorandum • The actual sections on policy, again, didn’t follow analytical part - Lack of consensus among planners - Many spatially relevant policies are subject to other strategic policy frames - Urban networks is a concept of urban form, rather than urban processes taking place at different intertwining spatial scales - Outside world is seen, again, as a competitor • Acceptance of regionalisation of urban and economic relations • Continued preoccupation with the location of development (city versus countryside) Reflections • European spatial planning get ahead of actual process on the ground, political and economic realities • A its core planning is a local and regional activity • If European spatial planning takes on conceptual and visionary role, while regional authorities take practical implementation, what is the role for the national level authorities? Europeanization of Dutch National Spatial Planning