ABSTRACT
The territorial integration of the European continent can be considered a long process likely to lead, in long run, to a fabric of economic, social and cultural functional relationships corresponding to those of a modern European society living on a single territory, but respecting diversity in all its dimensions. This is necessarily a slow process, even if recent times were rich in elements of acceleration. Many spontaneous dynamics of an economic and social nature currently contribute to territorial integration in Europe. They are reinforced and supported by a range of public policies at various levels, but primarily by those of the EU. It should not, however, be overlooked that the way towards integration is not unequivocal. Various opposing forces were still at work in recent times, as, for instance through the creation of some new national borders or through the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Asymmetric shocks caused by the global economy to some regions have sometimes deeply destabilizing impacts.
