Spatial planning systems in Europe

The paper aims to present the most significant classifications of spatial planning systems and territorial management in Europe. After the first attempts, from the end of the last century, at the beginning of the new millennium, extensive analyses of the spatial planning system were carried out through several ESPON projects. Their results were based on the dominance of one of four approaches: urbanism, land use, regional-economic or comprehensive integrated planning. Some countries have a combination of two or three approaches. The second research also refers to the development trends observed in the national systems of territorial management and spatial planning. Recent research include the classification of states according to the way of management, the level of integration of sectoral policies, the degree of adaptability in planning, as well as the degree of engagement of citizens in the planning process. Knowing the basic characteristics of the spatial planning system, as well as the classifications based on them, creates a clearer perspective of spatial planning as a socially important activity and makes it easier for every country to review and improve its planning practice.