Городские агломерации: правовые факторы роста

Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право. 2023. Т. 16. № 2.

Рябова Е. В.

The article is devoted to issues on the legal framework for urban agglomerations as a rapidly developing socio-economic phenomenon. The article sets the goal to characterize legal framework for the development of urban agglomerations as economic centers in a state. The article studies the socio-economic nature of an urban agglomeration; prerequisites for urban agglomerations; the issue on the legal definition of an urban agglomeration; the current legal framework for urban agglomerations at the regional level; the legal aspects of administration within such a territory, and financial factors in urban agglomerations.

Having studied a wide range of scholars’ views on the nature of urban agglomerations and taking into account the natural character of agglomeration processes, the authors state that the formation of an agglomeration cannot be caused by legal factors. However, intensifying legal environment is capable to strengthen integration processes in order to achieve an agglomeration effect. There are divergent regional practices and the lack of a federal standard for urban agglomerations in Russia. The article declares that the adoption of a legal act as long as the conclusion of an agreement on the formation of an urban agglomeration are not capable to awaken or strengthen agglomeration processes. Legal acts are only called upon to recognize the existence of an urban agglomeration, to confirm a legal status for legal regulation purposes or to set out a legal regime for agglomeration administration. The authors conclude that financial measures could positively impact on emerging agglomeration processes by contributing to the creation of a communication infrastructure. In addition, the use of financial and legal mechanisms is necessary in order to neutralize the budget imbalance within the urban agglomeration.

Keywords: местное самоуправление, агломерация, agglomeration, urban agglomerations, городская агломерация, территориальное устройство, administrative and territorial structure, legal integration, правовая интеграция, local government