Territorial Cohesion and Structural Funds Programmes: Urban Development & Territorial Cooperation

This paper discusses the territorial dimension of European Cohesion policy focusing, in
particular, on the role of the Structural Funds for the support of urban areas and territorial
cooperation. Starting off with a review of the evolution of relevant spatial concepts - such as those of territorial cohesion and polycentric development - in academic and policy documents, the paper turns to the analysis of current programmes and to the discussion of future challenges in integrating these goals in future Structural Funds programmes.