This is the first number of ECTP-CEU newsletter. The Executive Committee decided to publish a newsletter so that the European planning community can have information about Spatial Planning events all over Europe and also elsewhere.
The initiative was taken after finishing the new ECTP-CEU website. We wish to develop a more dynamic, flexible and user friendly dialogue with the planning community.

This newsletter has the objective of improving communication between members of the ECTP-CEU and between ECTP-CEU and other institutions such as professional institutes, EU institutions, Ministries, Regions, Municipalities, Universities, and associations of professionals and interests related with spatial planning.

If you think that there is something important for the planning community to know then, please, contact the ECTP-CEU secretariat. This could include, for example:
• a planning initiative, a congress, an important seminar or meeting that you are promoting;
• a spatial planning programme;
• a new plan that will contribute to the knowledge of spatial planning,
• a new planning course that will contribute to innovation in planning that one of your universities is creating; or
• new methodologies or innovative tools that an Institute is researching; or 
• planning legislation or directives that your Government is implementing.

Please send us your news and with some editorial discretion, we will consider publishing.

This first issue contains a variety of articles, such as ECTP-CEU initiatives or supported by us, the IX Biennial of European Towns and Town Planners, the 9th European Urban and Regional Planning Awards, the “Journées Mondiales de l’Urbanisme”, the creation of FIU the IberoAmerican Federation of Planners and the summer course in Lisbon. It also contains events promoted by ECTP-CEU members and promoted by other planning institutions. 

This newsletter will reflect the interest and support that all spatial planning institutions, and ECTP-CEU members, will give. The executive committee thinks that a regular European planning briefing on current affairs is a good way of enhancing spatial planning; I invite you to join us.

João Teixeira,
ECTP-CEU President

July 2011