Workshop 1.B Inner areas in Europe ESPON Seminar “Territories Acting for Economic Growth: Using territorial evidence to meet challenges towards 2020” Inspire policy making by territorial evidence

Inner areas are being addressed by policy makers as areas with low access to basic services of general interest. These are often rural and remote areas that need to develop on endogenous potentials such as nature and culture assets. Areas with more than 60 minutes travel time to the service provision of a city exist in almost all European countries. This workshop will deal with concrete solutions for inner areas. An important focus in the workshop discussions will be on key messages useful for policy makers in the context of Cohesion Policy and in policy development promoting policy orientations of the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Territorial Agenda Setting the scene

Questions the presenters should seek to address 1.How could Europe address inner areas or peripheries in policy terms? 2.Is their development more a national or regional responsibility than a European? 3.Would European policy for inner areas be a way forward and, if so, which EU policies are relevant? Setting the scene

14:00Welcome and introduction by moderator, Peter Mehlbye 14:10Project presentation GEOSPECS, Erik Glørsen and Marta Pérez-Soba (max 20 min) 14:30Project presentation TRACC, Klaus Spiekerman (max 20 min) 14:50Reflections on possible policy development for inner areas, Pier Paolo Prosperini(max 20 min) 15:10Remark and opening up of discussion by moderator, Peter Mehlbye 15:40Final reflections and closure by moderator, Peter Mehlbye Indicative running times