Greek ESPON2013 Contact Point, Panteion University

"Maps of the month"

MAP OF THE MONTH, source:www.espon.eu

Performance of Less Accessible Regions

Generally it is assumed that regional accessibility is important for the economic and social opportunities of a location or a place. Recent research on agglomeration economies suggests that economic growth, labour migration and accessibility are closely interrelated in reality. However, around 1/8 of the European regions have a high GDP per capita despite a low accessibility. Apparently these less accessible regions found other ways to overcome deficits of low accessibility and reached a good economic welfare.
This ESPON ‘Map of the Month’ focuses on less accessible regions in Europe, i.e regions with a potential multimodal accessibility in 2006 below the EU average. The diversity of these regions is examined by analysing the GDP-PPS per capita in 2006 and the annual net-migration for 2001-2005. Please note that the latest data available display the situation in 2006. Consequently, this map does not reflect any effects of the recent global economic downturn.


MAP OF THE MONTH (ΑPRIL 2009), source:www.espon.eu

Potential Accessibility by air, Change of Relative Position of Regions, 2001-2006

ESPON is set up to support policy development and to build a European scientific community in the field of territorial development. The main aim is to increase the general body of knowledge about territorial structures, trends and policy impacts in an enlarged European Union

Applied research and studies on territorial development and spatial planning seen from a European perspective in support of policy development.

National, regional and local knowledge is partly already existing and available, although only covering smaller parts of the European territory. With the ESPON 2006 Programme and by addressing an enlarged EU territory and larger territorial entities, the Commission and the Member States expect to have at their disposal:

  • Diagnosis of the principal territorial trends at EU scale as well as potentials and imbalances within the European territory;
  • Impact analysis of EU policies and their influence on the territory and on cohesion;
  • European maps of major territorial structures and regional diversity within a wide range of themes important for the development of regions and larger territories;
  • Integrated, cross-sectoral analysis and spatial scenarios offering a European perspective on regions and larger territories and their development opportunities;
  • Indicators and typologies assisting a monitoring and setting of European priorities for a balanced and polycentric enlarged European territory;
  • Integrated tools and appropriate instruments (ESPON database, indicators, methodologies for territorial impact analysis and spatial analyses, mapping facilities) in order to improve the spatial co-ordination of sector policies.

In assuring the necessary research capacity for the applied research within ESPON a special effort is foreseen to build a supporting scientific community in the field of European territorial development which naturally will include a multitude of academic disciplines.


"MAP OF THE MONTH"( MARCH 2009), source:www.espon.eu

Population growth in EU and its neighbourhood

This month, ESPON presents trends in population development, namely on population growth in EU and its neighbourhood. Demographic development will have a major influence on future territorial development in Europe. The human resources have a significant impact on the economic development of regions and cities. It is therefore a key concern for policy makers to attract and develop a highly skilled labour force in their regions and cities. In this respect, migration and imbalance between EU Member States and neighbouring countries represent important opportunities as well as challenges. The diversity of population growth indicates the areas around the EU where one can expect a high level of interest for migrating to the EU. This map was included in the ESPON Territorial Observation No.1.For futher reading please click here !