More than a decade ago the Territorial Agenda (TA) of the EU aimed strengthening territorial cohesion and was built upon three main aims of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP), thus of European planning. Since then different integrated tools for European spatial development have been proposed and instruments based on various initiatives to support spatial planning practices created. New TA under the specific objective enhanced European territorial evidence gathering through applied research and analyses. Recent comparative studies of territorial governance and spatial planning systems and practices emphasised meaningful changes, their influences and possible further continuity. Latvia, along with other Baltic States, over the past two decades has witnessed considerable changes in institutional settings of spatial planning system and planning practice as well. The aim of the study is to explore the key trends and aspects which have influenced changes into spatial planning systems and practices in Europe. The review of scientific literature as well as dynamic and comparative analysis and synthesis techniques have mainly been employed for the study. The main outcome of the research shows that reforms, economic crisis and restructuring as well as institutional arrangements, challenges of globalization and ‘Europeanization’ of spatial planning agendas basically influenced changes into planning systems and practices, which explains its continuation and a potential for introduction of advanced planning approaches.