1Competitiveness or Cohesion? A Phase Strategy of European Spatial Development

The European Union is committed to three overarching political objectives: competitive-ness (economic growth), cohesion (equity) and environmental sustainability. The three goals are in conflict. The paper looks into the spatial implications of this goal conflict for European policy making using the enlargement of the European Union and European transport policy as example. Based on results of project 1.1.3 of the European Spatial Planning Observation Network ESPON, a phase strategy of spatial development is pro-posed in which in early stages of economic development of a country the promotion of growth poles is appropriate, in later stages, however, the development of a polycentric spatial structure