As European Union territorial governance and spatial development policy slowly but steadily progresses at a variety of fronts, increasing attention should be paid to the question of how to connect such activities, which in the long run potentially influence the territorial development of the European continent as a whole, with initiatives in spatial development outside the European Union, particularly with countries that are not foreseen to become a member of EU family. Interestingly, a platform for interaction between non-members and members of the European Union has long existed before any real initiative was taken at the (internal) EU-level in this field of activity: the Conference of Ministers Responsible for Spatial/Regional Planning (CEMAT) organised under the umbrella of the Council of Europe. Indeed, it was in CEMAT where the European dimension of spatial development was firstly recognized and articulated. Since the late 1980s, both CEMAT and European Union activities have proceed alongside each other, raising today questions regarding synergies, overlap and even competition; particularly as the EU, with the recent enlargements, has extended its territory to cover a significant share of the European continent. This again raises questions about how to organise interaction and co-operation between European Union and the wider EU neighbourhood in terms of spatial development policy. In this context, the Russian Federation’s relationship with European (Union) spatial planning is an interesting case in point, particularly as country recently held the CEMAT Presidency.

Against this background, this paper’s objectives are twofold.  Firstly, the intricate relationship between CEMAT and European Union initiatives and activities in spatial development policy will be examined from a CEMAT point of view. Secondly, the paper zooms in on the specific involvement of Russia, a country that is not foreseen to become a member of the European Union, in CEMAT activities by paying particular attention to the Russia’s CEMAT-Presidency from 2007 to 2010. On the basis of the findings, the aim is to provide recommendations for better co-ordination between CEMAT and EU initiatives and thus, more widely, the (EU’s) internal and external spheres of territorial development.