The workshop brings together national, regional and local authorities to discuss how to advance sustainable urban development by tailoring policy frameworks to local needs. Participants will discover the tools, methodologies and resources developed by EU institutions, partners and programmes on this topic. In practical workshops, participants will map out the challenges, potential solutions and capacity building needs for cities interested in doing territorial impact assessments to feed into European Urban Initiative activities. The workshop will contribute to the ambitious Policy Agenda for Cities.
Coordinator's website
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- EU/ European | Governance and Public administration | Local and regional | National | Sustainable | Territorial | Urban
- Code: Side252545
- Rue Guimard 9, Bruxelles, Belgium
Practical information
- When
-
Wed 15/10/2025, 14:00 - 17:00 CET
- Where
- Rue Guimard 9, Bruxelles, Belgium
- Type of partnership
- EURegionsWeek close to you
- Format
- Side
- Theme
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Cities building tomorrow
- Language
- English
Partners
Urban Agenda for the EU
Reporting
Session summary
1. Territorial Impact Assessment (TIA) as a bridge between policies and places
TIA is a practical tool to ensure that policies account for the specific characteristics of different territories. The territorial dimension is often overlooked in policymaking, and TIA brings this perspective into focus by combining evidence, dialogue, and visual tools.
2. From theory to practice: lessons from pilot cases
Two key examples illustrated the benefits of applying TIA in practice.
- In Poland, the SPA(TIA) approach was tested to assess how national and regional interventions influence areas with different socio-economic profiles. The exercise showed that early integration of territorial considerations can make policy design more precise and responsive to local needs.
- In the Polish–German cross-border area, TIA was used to examine the territorial effects of infrastructure projects such as the Ostbahn railway line between Berlin and Gorzów. The assessment revealed how transport investments can generate uneven impacts across urban centres and smaller towns, highlighting the value of combining spatial analysis with stakeholder dialogue.
The SPA(TIA) method was highlighted for its accessibility and participatory character, helping translate expert and stakeholder knowledge into concrete territorial insights.
3. Participation and cross-sector collaboration
A recurring theme was the need to overcome sectoral silos. Because TIA is inherently cross-cutting, it encourages cooperation between different departments and levels of government. Visual outputs, such as maps, are especially effective for bringing together experts and decision-makers from different backgrounds.
4. Conditions for successful implementation
TIA should become a regular and integral part of policy planning processes, as it helps ensure that interventions are designed with a clear understanding of how they affect different territories and communities. Success depends on:
- Choosing the right governance level to lead the process;
- Engaging a diverse but manageable group of stakeholders (around 12–15 people) over the whole assessment period;
- Ensuring adequate time, resources, and reliable data;
- Maintaining neutrality and continuity through skilled facilitation of the TIA process.
5. From data to decision-making
Access to reliable data remains a central challenge for implementing TIA, particularly at local and cross-border levels. While statistical and geospatial data are crucial to visualise differences across territories, qualitative methods—such as workshops and expert discussions—are equally valuable. Combining both forms of evidence allows TIA to capture not only measurable trends but also context-specific knowledge and lived experience. The transformation of data into geospatial formats is essential for identifying where impacts occur and for making territorial dynamics understandable to policymakers and citizens alike.
