Public Infrastructure Services in the European Union: Challenges for Territorial Cohesion

Abstract

CLIFTON J., DÍAZ-FUENTES D. and FERNÁNDEZ-GUTIÉRREZ M. Public infrastructure services in the European Union: challenges for territorial cohesion, Regional Studies. Territorial cohesion has emerged as an important objective for European Union authorities, particularly since the Treaty of Lisbon. One important strand of territorial cohesion is citizen access to affordable public infrastructure services. While place of residence may influence use of services, insufficient evidence exists as to whether residence may constitute a disadvantage to citizens as regards service use. This paper assesses this by contrasting citizens' stated and revealed preferences for services in three large countries. Residence frequently conditions expenditure on public infrastructure services and satisfaction with service accessibility and affordability, disadvantaging residents in some territories, posing challenges for territorial cohesion. Public infrastructure services Territorial cohesion Citizens Consumers Rural areas Regions CLIFTON J., DÍAZ-FUENTES D. and FERNÁNDEZ-GUTIÉRREZ M. 欧盟的公共基础建设服务：领土凝聚的挑战，区域研 究。领土凝聚，已成为欧盟政府的重要目标，特别是在里斯本条约之后。领土凝聚的其中一项重要组成，便是公民能 够获得经济适用的公共基础建设服务。居住地虽可能影响服务使用，但却未有足够的证据显示，居住会对公民在服务 使用方面构成不利。本文透过对比三个大型国家中，公民自身宣称和被揭露的服务偏好，对上述问题进行评估。居住 经常限制了公共基础建设服务的扩张，以及对服务可及性和经济适用性的满意度，因此对部分领域中的居民产生不 利，并对领土凝聚带来挑战。 公共基础建设服务 领土凝聚 公民 消费者 乡村地区 区域 CLIFTON J., DÍAZ-FUENTES D. et FERNÁNDEZ-GUTIÉRREZ M. Les services d'infrastructure publics dans l'Union européenne: les défis pour la cohésion territoriale, Regional Studies. La cohésion territoriale s'est avérée un principal objectif des autorités compétentes de l'Ue, notamment depuis le Traité de Lisbonne. Un aspect important de la cohésion territoriale est l'accès des habitants aux services d'infrastructure publics abordables. Alors que le lieu de résidence pourrait influer l'utilisation des services, rares sont les preuves que le lieu résidence constitue un inconvénient pour les habitants en ce qui concerne l'utilisation des services. Cet article l'évalue en comparant les préférences déclarées et révélées des habitants à propos des services dans trois grands pays. Souvent, le lieu de résidence détermine les dépenses pour les services d'infrastructure publics et la satisfaction vis-à-vis de l'accessibilité et de l'abordabilité des services, ce qui défavorise les habitants de certains territoires, posant ainsi des problèmes en matière de cohésion territoriale. Services d'infrastructure publics Cohésion territoriale Habitants Consommateurs Zones rurales Régions CLIFTON J., DÍAZ-FUENTES D. und FERNÁNDEZ-GUTIÉRREZ M. Dienstleistungen der öffentlichen Infrastruktur in der Europäischen Union: Herausforderungen für den territorialen Zusammenhalt, Regional Studies. Der territoriale Zusammenhalt

The impact of government outsourcing on public spending: Evidence from European Union countries

“…already researched into the consequences of outsourcing as regards its potentially negative effects on issues such as: efficiency (Alonso, Clifton and Díaz-Fuentes, 2015b); citizen satisfaction with services (Clifton, Díaz-Fuentes and Fernández-Gutiérrez, 2016); social welfare (Sclar, 2015) and labour conditions, work-related stress and service quality (Hermann and Flecker, 2012). However, few studies had asked the whether the core justification for outsourcing -its reduction of government spending -could be confirmed empirically.…”

Territorial Cohesion Policy in the Context of Eu Regional Security

“…In this, the benchmarks laid down in the European Spatial Development Perspective (1999) [9] were taken as a point of reference for comparison. It is believed that territorial cohesion policy acquired the status of a political paradigm for «EU territorial development» after the publication of this Report [5]. Researchers and practitioners also note that it is at this time that the interpretation of the categorical field of territorial cohesion begins to expand, incorporating such socioeconomic elements as the environment [25], «soft spaces» of spatial development [16], valorisation (indexation) of territorial capital [33] and, finally, outlining the need for a more spatially balanced and sustainable growth [11].…”

The importance of place-based, internal resources for the population development in small rural communities

“…The importance to rural areas of having access to public and private services has been stressed in several studies (e.g. Oncescu, 2014;Slee and Miller, 2015;Clifton et al, 2016). Moreover, the transportation infrastructure in rural areas has been identified as an important factor in explaining differential economic development of rural areas (e.g.…”