POLYNET Action 3 . 1 Analysis of policy documents & policy focus groups

The polycentric Rhine-Main mega-city region experiences changing spatial relations associated with the globalising service economy (as shown in the previous regional reports for POLYNET actions 1.1, 1.2, and 2). The POLYNET action 3.1 aims at understanding how official policies react to these changes at national, regional and local levels, and how these policies relate to ESDP and NW Europe policy statements. POLYNET actions 3.1 and 3.2 include a series of regional focus group meetings, which serve to develop policy and planning recommendations for the Rhine-Main region. The institutional context in which planning decisions for the Rhine-Main region are taken, derives from the spatial planning system in Germany, which is based on the constitutional background of the German Grundgesetz (GG). The two most important principles for the spatial planning system are the federal construction of the German state and the constitutionally guaranteed right of autonomous self-government of the municipalities (§ 28, 2 GG). From the bottom-up-construction of the German state, the principle of subsidiarity is deduced, which means that every administrative act has to be performed at the lowest possible administrative unit. But this principle finds its limits in the different competences in legislation and implementation of the " Bund " (the German state), the " Länder " (the German federal states) and the " Gemeinden " (municipalities). On the national level, the Federal Government is responsible for strategic development planning and has the competence of framework legislation, which sets the guidelines for further legislation by the Länder. This legislation by the Länder is needed, because the Bund has no executive authority in the field of spatial planning (except for telecommunication and traffic routes owned by the federal state). The Bundesraumordnungsgesetz (Federal Regional Planning Act), last modified in 1997 and in force since 1 January 1998, sets the framework for the legislation of the federal states. The framework legislation and the missing executive competences of the Bund are the reason for the establishment of the " Standing Conference of Federal and State Ministers Responsible for Spatial Planning " (Ministerkonferenz für Raumordnung, MKRO) 1 , which coordinates the spatial planning between the Bund and the Länder. It develops guidelines for regional planning, e.g. The next level of planning authorities are the Länder, in which the spatial planning is assigned to one of the ministries. These ministries prepare the planning legislation of the Land and the regional planning policy guidelines, so-called development plans …