Planning by minimum consensus: Austrian co-operative federalism as a model for Europe?

Abstract

Abstract Austria joined the European Union as late as 1995, so it may seem far‐fetched to present her as a model. However, Austria has a federal planning system. In the European Union, too, Member States have ceded powers to Brussels, so the European Union resembles federal planning systems. However, neither the Austrian federal government nor the European Union has a formal planning mandate, and so both have developed para‐constitutional planning institutions. Thus, in Austria there is the Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning where representatives of federal, state and local government co‐operate on a voluntary basis. In the European Union, also, planning co‐operation between Member States is voluntary. Part 1 puts the Conference on Spatial Planning within the context of Austria's evolving ‘co‐operative federal state’. Part 2 focuses on the Conference itself. Part 3 compares the Austrian arrangements with those for European planning. The conclusions draw lessons for European planning. The first is tha...