Rescaling Europe: Effects of Single European Market Regulations on Localized Networks of Governance in Land Development

Abstract

Rescaling state responsibilities and capacities not only triggers an uneven distribution of regulatory and fiscal powers across scales but also creates complex governance relationships that result in distortions in local processes of urban development. Within this framework, this article analyses how Single European Market regulations affect urban governance capacity through their impact on localized networks of governance. This analysis is based on case studies of public and private cooperation in land development in the Netherlands. The article focuses on two regulations (state aid and public procurement) that are part of European competition policy. It also analyzes the manner in which these regulations, aimed at creating a single market at the supranational scale, had local consequences. The article concludes that local interactions are contested and distorted by the interference of the Single European Market regulations at the supranational level, which impacts local governance relations and processes. Résumé Repositionner les échelons de responsabilités et de capacités déclenche entre ceux‐ci une répartition inégale des compétences réglementaires et fiscales, tout en créant des rapports de gouvernance complexes qui finissent par altérer les processus locaux d'aménagement urbain. Dans ce contexte, l'article analyse comment les réglementations du marché unique européen affectent la capacité de gouvernance urbaine par leur impact sur les réseaux de gouvernance implantés localement. Cette analyse exploite des études de cas sur la coopération public‐privé dans l'aménagement du territoire aux Pays‐Bas. L'article s'attache à deux réglementations (aide de l'État et marchés publics) intégrées dans la politique européenne relative à la concurrence. Il examine aussi de quelle façon ces règles ont eu des conséquences locales alors qu'elles participaient à la création d'un marché unique à l'échelon supranational. Les interactions locales sont contestées et dénaturées du fait que les réglementations supranationales du marché unique européen interfèrent dans les rapports et processus locaux de gouvernance.

Governing urban development in the Low Countries: From managerialism to entrepreneurialism and financialization

“…In the 1980s, urban policy aimed at furthering ‘compact cities’ through restrictive planning and urban renewal projects, with co-governance between municipality, province and central state. In addition, massive public investments flowed into the construction of affordable housing (Taşan-Kok and Korthals Altes, 2012).…”

“…The new way of developing required municipalities and developers to build long-term relationships; some municipalities started informing preferred developers so they could protect land ‘from being snapped up by “hostile invaders”’ (Taşan-Kok and Korthals Altes, 2012: 1275).…”

Taking planning seriously: Compulsory purchase for urban planning in the Netherlands

“…It is not the large national developers or the smaller regional developers that present the greatest risks for local authorities. Both employ a two-client strategy in which they not only sell property on the market, but also supply a developed neighbourhood to the local authority with the aim of working there more often (Korthals Altes, 2009;Tas ßan-Kok & Korthals Altes, 2012). The smaller national companies that are happy to work on a one-off basis in any given local authority area are more likely to leave a 'bad impression' (Dreimüller, 1980, 117).…”

Rescaling Environmental Governance – the Influence of European Transnational Cooperation Initiatives

“…Much of the research on spatial rescaling tends to focus on 'downward' transfers of regulatory powers and financial controls to the sub-national level (Taşan-Kok and Korthals Altes, 2012), and occasionally on the mismatch between them (see, for example, Miller, 2007). This paper, however, is equally concerned with 'upward' and 'sideways' shifts in spatial scales primarily resulting from the 'Europeanization' of environmental governance.…”