Approaches of integrated urban intervention in Greece: tools & governance

Abstract

Integrated approach to urban development consists an EU policy direction which, after piloting the URBAN programme in the 1990s, was incorporated into the institutional framework in many Member States including Greece. Along the same lines, during the current programming period (2014-2020), the Integrated Territorial Investments tool has been adopted. The character of these approaches makes the introduction of the principles of territorial governance in the organization and management of these tools necessary. The approach to governance within a given territorial unit, includes, as a central element, horizontal coordination of sectoral policies and vertical coordination based on a "multi-level" operation management. In this context, this paper aspires to explore, through a critical presentation, the principles and aspects of spatial governance practices of the main tools of Integrated Urban Intervention in Greece. The research concerns governance synergies, both horizontally and vertically, and more specifically, the structures, mechanisms and tools for coordinating the implementation and funding of actions included in planning. The conclusions will also attempt to formulate requirements and suggest recommendations for an effective implementation. The critical presentation of the functioning and governance of a relevant programme applied in Germany for nearly two decades is expected to contribute to this effort.