The German Association for Housing, Urban and Spatial Development (DV) is conducting a study on integrated regional development in Germany. It is being funded by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) and jointly implemented with the the Institut für Stadtforschung und Strukturpolitik GmbH (IfS).

Integrated regional development concepts (REK) are comprehensive, informal strategies based on consensus and individual responsibility. The objective is to strengthen a region in the long term through coordinated measures and projects by public and private stakeholders and to initiate a sustainable development process. REKs act as voluntary instruments that promote interdepartmental and interdisciplinary cooperation across administrative boundaries. Although integrated regional development strategies have great potential within the framework of cohesion policy, they are not yet well established in Germany. This is despite the possibilities that the EU regulations provide for so-called territorial instruments outside of cities.

The study primarily examines how EU cohesion policy in Germany supports integrated regional development, identifying both challenges and opportunities. Its findings will inform recommendations aimed at strengthening these integrated approaches during the next funding cycle (2028–2034). Special attention will be paid to existing funding approaches and their territorial instruments, how they are organised in practice and which success factors play a role.

On the basis of the study, well-founded recommendations will be developed to promote a stronger integration of regional development approaches in future European regulations and the regional programmes of EU cohesion policy.

The study draws on a similar approach to analyse the urban dimension in EU structural policy and funding practice in Germany. The recently published study provides an overview of the EU funding programmed in the federal states in the current funding period to support integrated urban development (available here).

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