Rescaling territorial governance: A Flemish perspective

Abstract

In this article, the complex set of driving factors and mechanisms that explain the evolution of territorial governance in Flanders in economic and spatial policy are discussed. A mix of both exogenous and endogenous trends has led to an increased focus on the sub-regional arena and to an administrative and political jungle, creating opportunities for "smart" local actors. The result is a broadened, strengthened, more professional "political localism"-in part due to innovation in planning-that may potentially favour innovation at the local level, on a background of relatively stable and unaltered political routines at the central level.

Changement de paradigme dans la politique régionale : vers une spécialisation intelligente ? Les leçons de la Flandre (Belgique)

“…Towards a Flemish regional innovation policy (1980-… ) Due to political struggle and internal pressures stemming from the cultural pluralism of Belgium, a process of regionalization started in the 1970s (Voets & De Rynck, 2006). This process resulted in the creation of Regions and Communities in Belgium.…”

“…The Federal state reforms in the last decades strengthened the Regions continuously in competences and resources and made Belgium one of the most regionalized member countries of the OECD (OECD, 2010). Flanders can, according to Voets & De Rynck (2006), in itself be considered as a "new state space" (Brenner, 2004).…”

“…Some authors argue that the goal to come to a more integrated subregional economic development failed, among other reasons due to the relative powerlessness of the platforms (Cabus, 2002). Moreover, there is no real significant decentralization in terms of competences and resources at the subregional level (Voets & De Rynck, 2006). Furthermore regional aid declined in significance in Flanders.…”

No region without individual catalysts? Exploring region formation processes in Flanders (Belgium)

“…Whereas the regions set out the guidelines and focus of different policy fields (e.g. regional economy, spatial policy, education, health care, environment, agriculture, tourism), the provinces are responsible for the implementation of the Flemish policy and its adaptation to the specific provincial contexts (Voets and De Rynck, 2006). Each province also has the authority to coordinate its region-orientated policies (Vereniging van de Vlaamse Provincies, 2006).…”

Behind the Scenes of Place Branding: Unraveling the Selective Nature of Regional Branding

“…These processes have stimulated the emergence of regions as an intermediary (administrative) level between provinces (NUTS 2) and municipalities (LAU 2). Furthermore, these processes have also enhanced regional competition in Flanders (Voets & De Rynck ). Flemish regions also started up place branding projects as a way to deal with this competition.…”