Conception of EU Polycentrism and State City Policies

Abstract

In the national urban policies and the institutionalisation of the co-operation of urban areas and urban networks there has been a paradigm shift in the member states of the European Union. The framework for this is provided by the structural policy of the EU, as the spatial disequilibrium of the location of the cities is a factor setting back the strengthening of spatial cohesion. The changes in the urban policy highlighted in the article are related to the modernisation and the improvement of their efficiency of the administrative structure in the member states, on the one hand, and the constraint of economic development and the strengthening of the competitiveness of the cities, on the other hand. The main message of the analysis is that the suitable level for the implementation of the polycentric concept is the regional tier, both within the nation states and at an international level. The concept can be fully realised if the administrative principle of decentralisation is mixed with the principle of spatial concentration. Considering that Hungary has not defined an urban development strategy since the systemic change, in fact, there has not been a real urban policy in Hungary since then, the practice of other countries can serve as guidelines for the Hungarian decision- makers for the planning and the development of the urban network, and for making the network more polycentric.