Why territory matters for implementing active subsidiarity in EU regional policy

Abstract

The concept of active subsidiarity advocated by the European Commission has important implications for European Union (EU) regional policy. This article examines the main tenets of active subsidiarity and how they relate to competing notions of territory and key regional policymaking instruments for the 2021–27 programme period. It finds that territory matters in EU regional policy, as clearly defined nested regional boundaries provide an important framework for engaging sub-national-level actors and bringing EU policymaking closer to citizens. However, a stronger recognition of territory is required if policymakers are to effectively implement active subsidiarity and place-based territorial governance policymaking models.