NORBA - Nordic-Baltic Dialogues on transnation perspectives in spatial planning

NORBA - Nordic-Baltic dialogues on Transnational Perspectives in Spatial Planning

The mission of the ESPON 2013 Programme, the European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion (www.espon.eu):

“Support policy development in relation to the aim of territorial cohesion and a harmonious development of the European territory by (1) providing comparable information, evidence, analyses and scenarios on territorial dynamics and (2) revealing territorial capital and potentials for development of regions and larger territories contributing to European competitiveness, territorial cooperation and a sustainable and balanced development”.

ESPON 2013 comprises the following priorities:

1. Applied research on different themes of European territorial dynamics.
2.  Targeted Analyses together with stakeholders.
3.  Scientific Platform development.
4.  Capitalisation of ESPON results.
5.  Technical Assistance, Analytical Support and Communication.

The NORBA project is one of the Transnational Networking Activities, conducted and funded under Priority 4 of the ESPON 2013 Programme. It aims to activate transnational interest in ESPON by involving policy makers, practitioners and scientists. The transnational networking activities are carried out by groupings of members of the ECP (ESPON Contact Point) network.

The partners of NORBA are the ECPs in Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden.

The NORBA project (2010-2012) aims to facilitate transnational dialogues on spatial planning between policy makers and practitioners, scientists and young academics and students in the Nordic-Baltic countries.  This includes

• Dissemination, capitalization and awareness rising of ESPON results and their implications for the Nordic-Baltic region.
• Mutual learning processes between relevant actors in the Nordic-Baltic region and the ESPON “family”.
•  Contribution to the ability of national and regional policy-makers as well as researchers to position regions, macro-regions, and national territories in a European (ESPON) context.
• Contribution to the discussion and debate around the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
• Trans-generational dialogue by engaging with young researchers and students that are active in the spatial and territorial development policy field.