The process of Europeanization is becoming an increasingly important focus of research and discussion in many academic disciplines, as well as in the field of planning studies as regards the shaping of institutional processes. At a time like the present where the European Union is facing constant criticism from within the Member States in terms of whether it is providing useful services and bringing tangible benefits at national level, it is particularly interesting to be able to examine and analyse these aspects as regards the key area of spatial planning in one of the comparatively recent Member States, such as Sweden. Moreover, understanding the processes of EU integration could help to overcome a simplified view of the European Union and to understand the mechanisms that are progressively shaping European society.

This study analyzes the specific national case of Sweden, in order to understand and verify the complex process of the Europeanization of territorial governance. The choice of this particular case study is due to the Erasmus semester I spent at Stockholm’s Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) during the 2012/2013 academic year. During the writing of this thesis I have been able to look at how the Europeanization of spatial planning has influenced policy making in Sweden. On balance it seems that the Europeanization of spatial planning, together with the way it has been implemented in line with the local traditions and aspirations, has been beneficial to the sustainable growth of the country. However, we must also remember, as Duhr et al. (2010) point out, that many of the benefits are not immediately apparent but take place all the same.