The territorial dimension in EU policies: issues, opportunities and an application in the sphere of tourism

In an enlarged Europe of the regions, the need for EU policies to possess an explicit territorial dimension is undeniable. This paper, by analysing the fundamentals of the EU policies in the previous 2000-2006 and the current 2007-2013 planning period, looks at the implications of strengthening the role of space in the different policy programmes. It also looks at the specific role of tourism in EU policies and draws some conclusions regarding spatial planning at a EU level.