The aim of this Applied Research Project is to provide profound knowledge on EU neighbour regions in order to support targeted policy development in the light of Cohesion Policy.

The Inception Report presents a more detailed overview of the analytical approach to be applied by the project. In particular, the main hypotheses of the project are twofold:

(1) the first one is that the European Neighbour Regions (ENRs) represent bigger opportunities than threats;

(2) the second one is about convergence vs. divergence between ENRs and the ESPON space.

The results of the project shall certainly show a variety of situation according to each region and country. However, the research team assumes that territorial structures and flows with the ESPON space will show an increasing convergence in the Northern Neighbourhood, whereas it will show an increasing divergence in the Southern Neighbourhood. In the case of the South-Eastern Neighbourhood the dominant trend should be convergence rather than divergence.

The research team shall deliver the Interim Report by January 2013.

Read the report at the ESPON Website.