May 2013 - Territorial Cooperation Programmes play an important role for the development of Europe.

Programme investments enable the mobilization of under-used territorial potentials, contributing to the competitiveness of Europe and to the necessary economic growth and job creation.

Territorial Cooperation projects promote growth, job-creation and life quality through new innovative ideas and strategies as well as education, institutional capacity-building and staff professionalization. In particular, they facilitate flows of people, goods and capital, which otherwise would not cross the borders.

These are findings of several ESPON projects, among others the recently concluded TERCO project (European Territorial Cooperation as a Factor of Growth, Jobs and Quality of Life).

Some key findings are the following:

• Territorial cooperation addresses a large variety of themes which differ between 'older' and 'newer' member states
• Peripheral regions have higher intensity of territorial cooperation
• Actors recognise positive impacts of cooperation
• Start simple and develop towards strategic, place-based cooperation

ESPON Evidence Brief No.1 on European Territorial Cooperation, as well as its maps, is available below.

Should you have questions regarding the ESPON Evidence Brief, please do not hesitate to contact the ESPON Coordination Unit at [email protected]