Progress in the study of European Spatial Planning and the inspiration to China
欧盟空间规划研究进展及启示

European Spatial Planning is the earliest trans |national spatial planning in the world.Its specific spatial planning ideas,trans |national spatial planning practices,and new methodology and institutions have influenced spatial planning in the world.Along with the globalization and the expanding of the European Union(EU),regional inequality is becoming more and more serious in EU.In order to solve this problem and promote social and economic cohesion,sound management of the natural and cultural heritage,and more balanced competitiveness of the European territory,since the 1980s,the EU has launched several spatial planning programs,such as classification of Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics(NUTS),European Spatial Development Perspective(ESDP),and Study Program on European Spatial Planning(SPESP).These spatial planning programs have achieved a series of achievements.Some new spatial ideas,such as urban-rural partnership,functional urban area,etc.and criteria for spatial differentiation have been studied and proposed in European spatial planning programs.Besides,policy implications have the same importance as the program itself.The set up of European regional development fund(ERDF),European social fund(ESF) and Cohesion fund or Structural fund,and European spatial planning observation network(ESPON) play a very important roles in the implementation of European spatial planning.Based on summarizing the contents,research achievements and policies of European spatial planning,the paper ended with the authors' personal constructive suggestions to improve current Chinese spatial planning.