Introduction The concepts`territory' and`territorial' have emerged as important notions in the vocabulary of contemporary spatial policies in the European Union (EU). Most visibly, these terms appear in European policies for territorial cohesion (see CEC, 2008; European Commission, 2010a), envisioning the development strategies and practices for the EU programming period after 2013. The objective of territorial cohesion strongly emphasizes territorial diversity and specificity, integration of territorially influential policy sectors, and cooperation between the European regions (CEC, 2008). The Territorial Agenda, reflecting the views of the EU member states, calls for a more territorial approach in the EU by better use of resources in the European regions. Here, territorial cohesion is seen as a``prerequisite for achieving sustainable economic growth and implementing social and economic cohesion'' (Territorial Agenda of the European Union, 2007, page 3). In definition, it also``extends beyond the notion of economic and social cohesion, its objective being to help achieve a more balanced development, to build sustainable communities in urban and rural areas and to seek greater consistency with other sectoral policies which have a spatial impact'' (CEC, 2005, page 29). The emphasis on territorial dimension recognizes the need for new spatial frameworks in the EU from the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP), which was the key and long-debated achievement of European spatial development in the 1990s (see Du« hr et al, 2010; Faludi and Waterhout, 2002). After the challenges in meeting the goals of the Lisbon Strategy, the strategy for the 2010s in Europe, Europe 2020, puts more strain on places and regions to achieve smart, sustainable, and
