ruimtelijk planbureau ruimtelijk Unseen Europe A survey of eupolitics and its impact on spatial development in the Netherlands Netherlands Institute for Spatial Research Spatial for Institute Netherlands NAi Publishers Reeds verschenen publicaties unseen europe a survey of eu politics and its impact on spatial development in the netherlands Scene, een kwartet ruimtelijke scenario’s voor Nederland Tussenland Ed Dammers, Hanna Lára Pálsdóttir, Frank Stroeken, Eric Frijters, David Hamers, Rainer Johann, Nico van Ravesteyn Leon Crommentuijn, Ellen Driessen, Friedel Filius Juliane Kürschner, Han Lörzing, Kersten Nabielek, David Evers isbn90 5662 324 9 Reinout Rutte, Peter van Veelen, Marijn van der Wagt Energie is ruimte isbn90 5662 373 7 Hugo Gordijn, Femke Verwest, Anton van Hoorn isbn90 5662 325 9 Behalve de dagelijkse files. Over betrouwbaarheid van reistijd Hans Hilbers, Jan Ritsema van Eck, Daniëlle Snellen Naar zee! Ontwerpen aan de kust isbn90 5662 375 3 Bart Bomas, Luki Budiarto, Duzan Doepel, Dieke van Ewijk, Jan de Graaf, Wouter van der Heijde, Cleo Lenger, Arjan Nienhuis, Olga Trancikova isbn90 5662 331 1 Landelijk wonen Frank van Dam, Margit Jókövi, Anton van Hoorn, Saskia Heins isbn90 5662 340 0 De ruimtelijke effecten van ict Frank van Oort, Otto Raspe, Daniëlle Snellen isbn 90 5662 342 7 De ongekende ruimte verkend Hugo Gordijn, Wim Derksen, Jan Groen, Hanna Lára Pálsdóttir, Maarten Piek, Nico Pieterse, Daniëlle Snellen isbn90 5662 336 2 Duizend dingen op een dag. Een tijdsbeeld uitgedrukt in ruimte Maaike Galle, Frank van Dam, Pautie Peeters, Leo Pols, Jan Ritsema van Eck, Arno Segeren, Femke Verwest isbn90 5662 372 9 Ontwikkelingsplanologie. Lessen uit en voor de praktijk Ed Dammers, Femke Verwest, Bastiaan Staffhorst, Wigger Verschoor NAi Publishers, Rotterdam isbn90 5662 3745 Netherlands Institute for Spatial Research, The Hague 2004 contents Summary 7 Environment and Nature Introduction 85 Introduction eupolicy 85 Justification and relevance of the research 11 Consequences for the Netherlands 87 Methods 12 Conclusions 97 Plan of the book 14 Water Context Introduction 101 The eu: establishment by evolution 17 eupolicy 101 Institutionalisation of European spatial Consequences for the Netherlands 110 planning 18 Conclusions 113 Constitutional Convention 22 Enlargement 23 Spatial Policy Issues and the eu Conclusions 25 Urban development policy 117 Rural areas policy 121 Regional Policy Mainports policy 126 Introduction 29 Conclusions 132 eupolicy 29 Consequences for the Netherlands 32 Conclusions Conclusions 41 Findings 137 Implications 140 Transport Recommendations for further research 145 Introduction 45 eupolicy 45 Literature 149 Consequences for the Netherlands 52 Conclusions 54 List of interviewees 156 Agriculture About the authors 157 Introduction 59 eupolicy 59 Consequences for the Netherlands 61 Conclusions 67 Competition Policy Introduction 73 eupolicy 73 Consequences for the Netherlands 76 Conclusions 82 unseen europe Titel hoofdstuk 5 • 5 summary The euis involved, either directly or indirectly, in the most vital issues of national spatial policy. – The indirect – and therefore usually unseen – consequences are often more significant, and will become increasingly so in the future. – Although it certainly remains necessary to conduct spatial policy at the national level – if for no other reason than to coordinate eusectoral policies and integrate them into the planning system – doing so without regard to the growing influence of Brussels will doom it to failure. – Those involved in spatial policy should keep abreast of developments to avoid being caught off-guard by new eudirectives or initiatives.The integration of eusectoral policies in Dutch spatial planning is essential. At the moment, euregulations continue to be implemented via the national sectors rather than via the spatial planning system. Justification Decisions on land use in the Netherlands are determined to a certain extent in Brussels. This is because, like all other Member States, the Netherlands has pledged to implement European legislation and directives in a complete, accurate, binding and timely fashion and because many of these European rules affect spatial developments. Examples include the preservation of natural habitats, caps on state aid and the various investments via euagriculture, transport and regional policies. Despite these many impacts, the broader influence of eupolicy on spatial developments in the Netherlands has still not been sufficiently investigated. This study addresses this by surveying a selected number of spatially relevant eupolicy fields – i.e. regional policy, transport, agriculture, competition policy, environment and nature, and water – and their potential impacts in the Netherlands. This was done through a literature study and expert interviews. Besides the rather narrow goal of illustrating the eu’s influence on Dutch spatial development, this survey can also be used to inform policymaking, and act as a springboard for further in-depth research. Findings Our survey found that for each eupolicy field researched both direct and indirect spatial consequences were apparent in the Netherlands. The consequences of eunature policy (Habitats and Birds Directives) are already obvious and considerable while the spatial effects of euenvironmental and water policy will become more significant as time passes. Interestingly, however, the indirect consequences are often more significant, and will become increasingly so in the future. Taking regional policy as an example, the physical manifestations of euinvestments are rather modest, especially if one unseen europe Summary 6 • 7 takes the view that many of these projects may have proceeded without euaid. Dutch tolerance. On the other hand, the emphasis placed by Europe on actual However, the more unseen effects of these policies – especially in terms new implementation and enforcement also has a positive effect; it gives citizens and administrative relationships – can ultimately be far greater. Also interesting in civil organisations more certainty in their dealings with the government. this respect are the potentially far-reaching land use implications of the production subsidies provided by the common agricultural policy, which have Coherence between Dutch and eupolicy transformed the Dutch countryside over the past decades. By inference, the reform of these policies will have a great effect as well. By changing the rules of Besides looking at the areas in which the Dutch and eupolicies meet of the game, vast tracts of land in the west of the Netherlands will be exposed to conflict, it is also interesting to note where the two converge or diverge. The increased urban pressure, further eroding support for national planning policies meet in the area of liberalisation and agricultural reform. Water, policies based on urban concentration. environmental and nature policy, though, are a different matter. Another interesting case of recent policy divergence is transport. Similarly the mainports strategy – one of the cornerstones of Netherlands spatial planning policy since the 1980s – has in certain instances been rendered Conclusion irrelevant by sweeping changes at the European level. The Single Sky and the liberalisation of the aviation industry have profound ramifications for the future All in all, in the past decade, the new institutional context posed by the euhas of Schiphol, the regional business climate and the Dutch economy. Improved fundamentally changed the relationship between Member States and their waterway connections on the European continent promoted via the tens, also territory, despite the lack of a formal European competency to engage in spatial ‘unseen’ in the Netherlands, provide new opportunities for the Port of planning. Although it certainly remains necessary to conduct spatial policy at Rotterdam to maintain or enhance its position in the logistical chain of an the national level – if for no other reason than to coordinate eusectoral policies enlarged Europe. And while the obligation on Member States to research or and integrate them into the planning system – doing so without regard to the map out certain environmental conditions may seem rather benign, these can growing influence of Brussels will doom it to failure. easily over time be translated into concrete agreements on minimum standards (e.g. Water Framework Directive) or at the very least be published as bench- marks, drawing negative attention to the countries who fare the worst. Sectors and space The Dutch government is often criticised for its sectoral approach, but this study has shown that the European policy framework is even more sectoral. It is therefore important for those involved in spatial policy to keep abreast of developments to avoid being caught off-guard by new directives or initiatives. At the same time, a more sectoral orientation can allow actors, such as Dutch planners, to align themselves with important policy areas at the eulevel and gain more influence. In this context, it should be pointed out that the euhas a different sectoral organisation than the Netherlands. Even more important is the integration of eusectoral policies in Dutch spatial planning. At the moment, euregulations continue to be implemented via the national sectors rather than via the extensive spatial planning system. Different cultures of enforcement In the Netherlands, spatial issues are often resolved in a process of consensus building, involving lengthy consultation procedures and ad-hoc