The Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning

Research Project: Towards an Establishment of a Spatial Monitoring System for Neighbouring Regions

Project briefing

  • Status Completed
  • Project duration October 2019 – November 2021
  • Programme MORO

The Spatial Planning Act provides for BBSR's spatial monitoring system for Germany and Europe to be supplemented in the medium term with continuous reporting on the regions in neighbouring countries. The aim of the project was to define the methodological and technical bases for a permanent spatial monitoring system for Germany and its neighbouring regions. In this model project of spatial planning (MORO), the foundations for continuous cross-border spatial monitoring at the federal level were developed with the participation of four model regions.

Background

The cross-border linkages of the European states and regions of Europe are steadily increasing; this is particularly evident on the borders and in the border regions. Growing cross-border networking requirements in many economic, social and individual areas often require cross-border cooperation. For joint cross-border action that includes all spatial levels, well-founded information about spatial structures and developments is of great importance. Only a comprehensive view on the sub-areas on both sides of the national borders can reveal regional contrasts, common structures and developments, uncover functional differences or even identify opportunities for functional additions across national borders.

Cross-border spatial monitoring is therefore not an end in itself, but is to be understood as a preparatory information generation, compression and analysis. It provides policymakers and decision-makers with information at an early stage about planning-relevant spatial developments and the effectiveness of measures. Particularly in a cross-border context, some developments can hardly be explained, let alone managed in a coordinated manner, without knowledge of the situation in the neighbouring regions. Even in a solely national context, it can be very challenging for spatial planning to create well-founded information bases. This is much more difficult from a cross-border perspective. Despite decades of cooperation across national borders and close bilateral and multilateral interdependencies, systematic cross-border spatial monitoring in Germany and its neighbouring regions is still in its infancy.

Border regions have come increasingly into focus in Germany and Europe. In its communication on strengthening growth and cohesion in EU border regions in September 2017, the European Commission (EC) made cross-border cooperation a priority. The EC is also aware that measures are needed to improve the spatial information base. In its statement on the EC's paper on cohesion and growth in border regions, the Federal Council (Bundesrat) welcomes the Commission's initiative on border regions and also refers to the challenges of harmonising the database. In its response to the Bundesrat's opinion, the EC stressed the importance of the regular provision of data for border areas. The EC emphasises that activities such as the MORO „Spatial Monitoring Germany and neighbouring Regions“ are essential for professional discussion and that the Commission’s services welcome such national projects. The Aachen Treaty of January 22, 2019 calls for a deepening of cross-border cooperation between Germany and France, including through the coordination of cross-border spatial observation.

Objective

Against this background, the spatial monitoring systems of the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research (BBSR) for Germany and Europe are to be supplemented in the medium term by continuous reporting on the regions in neighbouring countries. This follows the mandate formulated in the Spatial Planning Act. The model project of spatial planning (MORO) „Spatial monitoring Germany and neighbouring regions“ was started in 2015 for this purpose, thus creating the first foundations. That project showed which spatial information is potentially available for cross-border spatial monitoring and which findings could be achieved by cross-border spatial monitoring at the federal level. A prototypical report was developed that depicts and analyses the spatial structures and processes in Germany and its neighbouring regions. Recommendations were aimed at ways of implementing sustainable cross-border monitoring.

While the previous MORO “Spatial monitoring Germany and neighbouring regions” was of an exploratory nature, the new MORO “Establishment of a spatial monitoring system for adjacent regions” was intended to prepare the consolidation of cross-border spatial monitoring. The aim of the project was to define the methodological and technical bases for a permanent cross-border spatial monitoring system at the federal level.

The project was conducted by Spiekermann & Wegener, Urban and Regional Research (S&W), Dortmund, Germany.

Contact us

  • Claire Duvernet
    Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development
    Division RS 3 "European Spatial and Urban Development"
    Phone: +49 228 99401-2328
    Email: claire.duvernet@bbr.bund.de

This Page