News

A new ARL Country Profile by Giancarlo Cotella (2026) explores the evolution of Italy’s territorial governance system, from traditional urbanistica to contemporary strategic and regionalised planning approaches shaped by EU cohesion policy and multilevel governance.

The international working group Land Take in Europe - In Pursuit of Net Zero met for its first live workshop at HOGENT University in Ghent (Belgium).

The Czech Republic’s spatial planning system is characterised by a unitary state structure combined with a decentralised multi-level governance system shaped by post-socialist reforms and EU integration. The updated ARL Country Profile of the Czech Republic, authored by Univ.-Prof. Karel Maier, provides a concise overview of its constitutional and administrative framework, key planning instruments, and the hierarchical relationship between national, regional and local levels in spatial development.

From 28 to 30 May 2026, AlpPlan will participate in Forum Alpinum 2026. On 28 May, an AlpPlan workshop and the annual General Assembly will take place in Aosta.

How can the accelerated expansion of renewable energy be reconciled with biodiversity protection and meaningful public participation? Around 30 participants from research, administration and policy came together to discuss one of the key challenges of the energy transition. 

France’s spatial planning system is characterised by a strong tradition of state involvement combined with increasing decentralisation and a complex multi-level governance structure. The updated ARL Country Profile of France, provides a concise overview of its constitutional and administrative framework, key planning instruments, and the evolving relationship between national, regional and local levels in spatial development.

Hosted by the ARL and organised by Dr. Martina Schorn (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research) and Dr. Lena Greinke (Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover) the ARL Lunch Talk “Planning the Future for Youth in Europe’s Shrinking Areas” took place on Thursday, 19.3.2026, 13:00-14:00h.

On 6 and 7 May 2026, the international symposium “Land use challenges in European Metropolitan Regions – exchanging promising spatial planning approaches” will take place in Berlin.

Open Call – Apply by 7 April 2026

Are you a young professional or student interested in shaping the future of spatial planning in the Baltic Sea Region? The VASAB Young Planners’ Summer School 2026 offers a unique opportunity to engage with key challenges such as climate change adaptation, resilience, mobility, and sustainable land and sea use.

The updated ARL Country Profile of Luxembourg, authored by Tom Becker and Prof. Markus Hesse, provides an overview of the country’s spatial planning and territorial development system. It outlines Luxembourg’s multilevel governance, municipal networks, and strategic planning framework, while highlighting the role of European integration, cross-border cooperation, and sustainable development challenges in a small, highly internationalized state.

On 13 March 2026, the members of the ARL International Working Group "Resilient Metropolitan Regions – Spatial Planning and Management for Urban Transformation" met online for a plenary meeting. 

The book series "Transformative Urban and Regional Development" is looking for abstracts for its first volume.

The Förderkreis für Raum- und Umweltforschung (FRU) invites submissions for the FRU Sponsorship Award 2026, focusing on European Cohesion Policy in times of multiple transformations.

Deadline for abstracts extended to 15 March 2026! 
We invite scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to submit abstracts for the ARL Congress 2026, taking place on 1–2 October 2026 in Cologne (Maternushaus).

Poland’s spatial planning system has recently undergone significant reforms, particularly affecting municipal planning and land-use decisions. The ARL Country Profile of Poland offers a concise overview of the planning system, recent reforms, multilevel governance, and key challenges such as regional disparities, urban–rural divides, and demographic change.

The ARL at the Final Conference of the Planners’ Forum Project in Tallinn

The final conference of the Planners’ Forum project, held on 11–12 February 2026 in Tallinn, marked both the conclusion of the project phase and the official launch of the Land-based Planners’ Forum.

Now published by Campus Verlag!

In times of challenging transformations at all spatial levels, the insights provided in this book are highly relevant. 

ARL Lunch Talk
19.03.2026, 13:00-14:00 CET, online

The Lunch Talk aims to bring together scholars from different fields of expertise and to reflect on both, the perspectives of shrinking areas and those of young people. 

This hands-on training course covers the fundamentals of ecological connectivity and biodiversity in the Alpine region. It is designed for experts, planners, and other relevant groups.

The Hannover Section of the Research Institute Social Cohesion (www.fgz-risc.de/en) invites you to participate in the conference “Exploring Local Social Cohesion in Green and Just Transitions”. 

Regional expansion of onshore wind power under RED III

Striking a balance between biodiversity protection and accelerated growth targets

Date: 14 April 2026, 11:30 am to 02:00 pm
Venue: On the premises of the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg to the EU, Rue Belliard 60-62, 1040 Brussels

The updated ARL Country Profile of Bulgaria, authored by Ivaylo Stamenkov, provides a comprehensive overview of the country’s spatial planning and territorial development system, outlining its legal foundations, institutional architecture and multilevel governance arrangements.

At its final meeting, the advisory group praises the international expansion of ARL activities

We invite scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to submit abstracts for the ARL Congress 2026, taking place on 1–2 October 2026 in Cologne (Maternushaus).

Mission Statement of the ARL Forum Gender and Spatial Transformation now available!