EUROCITIES FLASHan information service for EUROCITIES members

N° 109

Sept 2011

Also in this issue

Make it Genoa in 2011s economic uncertainty continues it is timely that

the EUROCITIES annual conference should be addressing a key dimension of economic recovery: people.

People, not buildings, make cities. It is the dynamic interconnection between people that creates enterprise, wealth, innovation. Yet too often this ‘people’ side of urban regeneration is neglected. Because it is easier to see the results of our investment in physical change we focus more on ‘place’: on infrastructure, architecture and space.

But transforming our cities is not just about building a new urban fabric. Even the most prosperous and successful cities confront a wide spectrum of social inequality. The challenge for city mayors is constantly to manage this ‘people’ agenda, promoting social mobility and cohesion, creating opportunity, improving well-being.

The opening address at EUROCITIES 2011 Genoa will be given by renowned Genoese architect-planner, Renzo Piano, who has worked closely with the city council over many years on urban renaissance. Piano will set the scene for us to explore the social dimension of urban transformation through the testimony of EUROCITIES mayors in a panel discussion, and through visits around the city.

The private political session, the Mayors’ Debate, will continue the social theme. Genoa is on a migration frontline. Managing these flows is a massive challenge, for Mediterranean gateways as well as for northern European destination cities. The Mayors’ Debate allows for a candid exchange on these difficult issues, including the role of European Union.

EUROCITIES 2011 Genoa promises highly relevant and constructive exchanges. Marking 25 years of EUROCITIES, there will also be some celebration in the mix. One not to miss!

Paul BevanSecretary general, EUROCITIES

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Simplify state aid for local authorities

Local practitioners help shape new EGTC

New funding for creative industries

Towards a single market for services

More action on urban environment

Open innovation in Eindhoven

Smart mobility for smart cities

Cities central to promoting healthy habits in old age

Modern mobility in a historic city

Intelligent Cities Expo – member discount! 12

Cities in the running for EUROCITIES awards

EUROCITIES 2011 Genoa: www.eurocities2011.eu Nicola Vatthauer, communications director: nicola.vatthauer@eurocities.eu

The shortlist for this year’s EUROCITIES awards is out! We received over 50 entries from cities seeking to showcase their projects. The network’s annual competition recognises outstanding achievements by members in delivering local activities which improve the quality of life for citizens.

The awards are judged in the context of the theme of the EUROCITIES annual conference, which this year will focus on ‘planning for people’. Cities submit entries in three categories: innovation, cooperation and participation. An independent jury has shortlisted the following projects:

Innovation Berlin: ‘Grasping Berlin - shaping Berlin’ Nice Cote d'Azur: ‘One ticket, one tariff, one territory’ Rotterdam: ‘Do-it-yourself- houses in Rotterdam'

Cooperation Bydgoszcz: ‘The Mill Island - revitalisation with cooperation of various stakeholders’ Dortmund: ‘Phoenix Dortmund - integrating urban redevelopment with an intense cooperative quality’ Stockholm: ‘The invest in Järva programme’

Participation Frankfurt am Main – ‘Sustainable and energetic reconstruction of the residential area Heinrich-Lübke-Siedlung’ Lisbon: ‘Todos - caminhada de culturas - everybody - a walk of cultures’ Zaragoza: ‘Esto no es un solar - this is not a plot’

Details of the shortlisted projects and the jury members are available on the conference website. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at the Acquario de Genoa on Wednesday, 2 November, during EUROCITIES 2011 Genoa.

Flash 109 September 20112

Giulia Campodonico takes on a new role at EUROCITIES. She leaves her current position as programme officer - finance & administration for PROGRESS to become project officer working on the new NiCE (Networking intelligent Cities for Energy Efficiency) project, which began on 1 September.

Hajar El Rhouati will replace Wendy Vermeiren as EUROCITIES accountant during her maternity leave from September to December 2011.

Susana Forjan will move within the EUROCITIES projects team, leaving her current role as projects assistant to replace Michele Corbetta as project officer – social affairs from 3 October.

Alessandra Fiorenza is replacing Mélanie Leroy as project officer – mobility management during her maternity leave, and will stay with EUROCITIES until January 2012. From November 2011, Mélanie and Alessandra will share responsibilities.

You’ll notice some changes to this month’s edition. With much positive feedback from members on the value of Flash as an information tool, we have taken the opportunity to give the newsletter a makeover.

One of the most striking elements is the new, sleeker appearance and an improved use of space. The front page gives a taster of what’s inside, and colour-coded squares allow for easy navigation between sections. The ‘key developments’ pages have become ‘highlights’ and will continue to showcase policy developments, events and EUROCITIES news. The ‘projects’ section has been incorporated into the other thematic pages, leaving space for a new ‘city news’ page.

‘City news’ is dedicated to news from you, our members. Every month we will feature a good practice case study and news from member cities like this month’s, on Barcelona’s new innovation incubator. We invite you to send us your contributions.

We hope you enjoy this and future editions. We’d like to hear your feedback!

New look Flash!

The events page now includes space to highlight events from

EUROCITIES or partner organisations.

highlights

e believe that the success of the Europe 2020 strategy, the EU’s plan for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for the next decade, depends upon the full support and involvement of cities in the European Social Fund

(ESF). EUROCITIES has issued a position paper with clear policy recommendations on how to ensure cities get better access to ESF funding programmes to help build an employed, skilled and inclusive Europe.

The paper builds on our European Social Fund statement of April and recommends:

� an enhanced role for cities in the ESF;

� strengthening the ESF’s social dimension;

� creating a dedicated instrument for social innovation;

� improving ESF and ERDF coordination for territorial cohesion;

� promoting transnational cooperation among cities;

� involving cities in ESF monitoring and evaluation;

� simplifying rules, reducing bureaucracy; and

� increasing European Commission engagement with cities.

Better integration between the ESF and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) would help simplify and coordinate the process of cities’ physical, economic and social development. Cities are already making a positive contribution to Europe 2020 and the ESF objectives of fighting unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, but much is left to do

Europe 2020 depends on bigger role for cities in the ESF

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More information: www.inclusivecities.eu Silvia Ganzerla, senior policy officer – social affairs: silvia.ganzerla@eurocities.eu

EUROCITIES will host an ‘open doors’ afternoon on Wednesday 12 October from 14:00 to 17:00.If you are in Brussels for the Open Days 2011, feel free to drop by our office for a coffee and a chat with the EUROCITIES team of staff. If you want to meet someone specifically, please contact that person in advance to arrange a time.

Open days, open doors

Nicola Vatthauer, communications director: nicola.vatthauer@eurocities.eu

Brussels | 12 October 2011

Staff news

Rose Montgomery, communications assistant: rose.montgomery@eurocities.eu

3Flash 109 September 2011

Calling young city leaders!

he European Commission will at the end of this year revise the state aid package for public services. This revision is an opportunity to simplify rules for local and regional authorities by keeping administrative, legal and financial burdens to a

minimum. This is all the more important given the financial pressures the public sector currently faces and the need for a smarter use of human resources.

Cities frequently adapt and modernise their services, to help prevent social polarisation and exclusion, and to promote health, well-being, participation and diversity

In its statement published at the end of July 2011, EUROCITIES recommends that the new state aid rules:

� are complementary to public procurement rules;

� are simplified and more proportionate to the nature and size of local public services;

� are more flexible so that local authorities, best placed to understand the needs of citizens, can choose the most appropriate form of service provision;

� secure the legal framework needed for the provision of high quality public services.

We also suggest that the European Commission should run a training session in all EU languages on how to deal with the new state aid rules. An explanatory ‘toolbox’ aimed at local and regional authorities would also help clarify the laws applicable to the various forms of public service provision, ranging from direct provision to public procurement

Simplify state aid for local authorities, says EUROCITIES

Marie Ranty, policy officer – economic development: marie.ranty@eurocities.eu

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highlights

We have produced a short video introduction to EUROCITIES, which can be viewed on our YouTube channel ‘TheEUROCITIESnetwork’.

The video provides succinct information on who we are and what we do; feel free use it and share it with anyone you think might be interested!

New information tool for EUROCITIES

Video: tinyurl.com/43rkfoe Sinead Mullins, communications executive: sinead.mullins@eurocities.eu

EUROCITIES welcomes the following members and partners to the network:

� Yerevan (AM) as a new associate member;

� Almere (NL), Fuenlabrada (ES) and Linkoping (SE) as associated partners in the economic development forum, and GDF Suez as associated business partner in the same forum.

� Umea (SE), Brest (FR) and Derry (UK) as associated partners in the culture forum.

� Umea and Netwerkstad Twente (NL) as associated partner in the environment forum.

� The National Association of Designers (RU) as associated partner in the mobility forum.

These members are already actively participating in the network, and will be formally approved at the AGM in November.

New members and partners join EUROCITIES

Jean-Pierre Ernotte, personal assistant to secretary general & member relations: jean-pierre.ernotte@eurocities.eu

ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) is launching its FutureCityLeaders programme, aimed at council members and mayors between the age of 18 and 35. The initiative offers a two year capacity-building programme for 21 young politicians, which continues after completion with an alumni network to ensure continuous knowledge sharing. To find out more or to apply, please visit the website below before 30 September 2011.

FutureCityLeaders: www.iclei.org/futurecity

EUROCITIES offers meeting rooms in an ideal location, a stone’s throw from the European institutions, with special prices for EUROCITES members.

� capacity up to 75 people

� catering services

� interpretation booths

� projection facilities

� complimentary WiFi

� special conditions on request

� half day rentals accepted

Meeting in Brussels?

Contact and reservation - Olivier Baeselen, finance, HR and office manager: +32 (0) 2 552 08 82 / meetingrooms@eurocities.eu

European legislation should support European cities in their role as promoters of economic and social

innovation.

Flash 109 September 20114

new report published last month has reviewed the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), taking into account the suggestions and experiences of local practitioners. The next step will be the publication by the Commission of an amending regulation due in October

as part of the cohesion policy package of regulations.

First outlined in 2006, the EGTC is a legal instrument for territorial cooperation. The EGTC allows local authorities from different member states to join forces under its umbrella, creating a public body with full legal power. For example, a city, X and a region, Y from two different member states can come together to form EGTC XY. This EGTC is a shared public body for which they can employ staff, sign contracts in one name, and confront common challenges. Often, cross-border territories will choose to deal with common transport issues together through an EGTC; using it to create a shared transport network which will meet the needs of citizens on either side of the border.

A test phase from 2006 to 2011, during which 16 EGTCs were set up and a further 21 are in the pipeline, has allowed the Commission

to gather knowledge and make amendments suggested by local practitioners. Back in January, the EUROCITIES working group on governance organised a seminar on the EGTC, attended by representatives from the Commission and Committee of the Regions. Members of the working group, highlighted practical obstacles to the smooth running of an EGTC, such as EGTC employment contracts or the flexibility to amend EGTC statutes. These points, amongst others, feature in the latest report from the Commission

Local practitioners help shape new EGTC

The next meeting of the EUROCITIES branding management and city attractiveness working group, taking place in Lyon, will focus on governance and financial factors in city branding and decision-making processes. Lyon will present its ‘Only Lyon’ brand as a case study, while other cities will have the opportunity to share their own schemes during the workshops. Please register as soon as possible.

Ambitious urban research programme

Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey have joined forces on research into common urban challenges by establishing a Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) - Urban Europe. The programme will focus on four themes:

� transforming urban areas to centres of innovation and technology

� eco-friendly and intelligent urban transport and logistic systems

� social cohesion and integration

� reducing the ecological footprint and enhance climate neutrality

Set up in September 2010, the programme is now moving into its pilot implementation phase, running until December 2013. The aim is to analyse topics that are relevant for long-term urban development with a time horizon of 2050+, identify urban needs and opportunities as

well as options for addressing future challenges.

EUROCITIES holds a seat in a newly established Urban Europe Forum, which is an informal gathering of relevant stakeholders that will advise the JPI’s management board on the programme’s strategic research priorities.

The two lead partners, Austria and the Netherlands, have the clear ambition for the programme to become the biggest urban-focused research programme in the EU. Details around the future financing of the initiative remain to be clarified as well as its links with related EU funding programmes on research, innovation and urban matters.

More information: www.jpi-urbaneurope.eu Dorthe Nielsen, policy advisor: dorthe.nielsen@eurocities.eu Per Justesen, city of Lyon, pjustesen@grandlyon.org

Governance in city branding

More information: tinyurl.com/42nkahv and tinyurl.com/3pcye2z Soraya Zanardo, policy assistant – coordination & governance: soraya.zanardo@eurocities.eu

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cooperation

Lyon | 23-24 September 2011

5Flash 109 September 2011

he upcoming meeting of the culture forum will focus on ‘heritage, urban culture and democracy in Europe’. How do we see our past and how

do cities deal with their cultural heritage? Is urban culture a form of cultural identity? These are some of the questions we will tackle at the next meeting, during which we will take a closer look at how local heritage and urban cultural policies can contribute more to local democracy.

2011 is a very special year for the city of Antwerp. The new city museum, MAS - Museum Aan de Stroom, opened in May. Furthermore. This year Antwerp also holds the title of European Youth Capital. Our forum

will therefore include a session specifically dedicated to urban youth culture and an evening programme will be organised at the MAS.

A special gathering for politicians is also scheduled, hosted by politicians from Antwerp in charge of culture and youth. It will focus on the role of city museums and the European Youth Capital scheme

Save the date! Next culture forum meeting in Antwerp

Registration: cultureforumantwerp.eventbrite.com Julie Hervé, policy officer – culture: julie.herve@eurocities.eu

The meeting will focus on cross-sectoral innovation led by creative industries. Inspiring examples from Rotterdam-based companies will be presented and partner organisations from the Netherlands, knowledge institutes and creative companies from Rotterdam will join our members for the meeting.

The meeting will take place at the Creative Factory, a former silo stretching along one of the city’s canals, which was turned into a hub for creative businesses in 2008.

The draft agenda and all practical information will be available later in September.

Save the date! Next creative industries working group in Rotterdam

Julie Hervé, policy officer – culture: julie.herve@eurocities.eu

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culture

In its budget proposal for 2014-2020, presented in early July, the European Commission indicated a significant increase in EU investment for education, youth and creativity, including measures to support creative industries as a means to boost job opportunities.

The Commission proposes that the EU budget will support education and cultural policy through two main instruments:

� Education Europe, a programme for education, training and youth, with a sub-programme for sport

� Creative Europe - a programme for culture and the audiovisual industry

Creative Europe will bring together the current Culture, MEDIA and MEDIA Mundus programmes in order to focus support on the achievement of the Europe 2020 goals.

The Commission is proposing to earmark a budget of €1.6 billion (+37% compared to the 2007-2013 budget for the three currently existing programmes).

The Creative Europe programme aims to help preserve cultural heritage and increase the circulation of creative work inside and outside the EU. Its focus will be supporting organisations and enterprises that operate across borders and play a role in the promotion of Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity. The Culture and MEDIA strands of the Creative Europe programme will be complemented by an innovative financial instrument, run by the European Investment Bank, to provide debt and equity finance for cultural and creative industries. This will address one of the key barriers to the development of cultural and creative content, access to finance, and should help the cultural and creative industries benefit from more EU funding.

A more detailed proposal will be presented in the autumn.

Julie Hervé, policy officer – culture: julie.herve@eurocities.eu

New funding for creative industries to support Europe 2020

Antwerp | 26-28 October

Rotterdam | 24-25 November

Creative Europe will help unlock the job creation potential of the cultural and creative sectors.

Flash 109 September 20116

he next EDF meeting on ‘effective instruments for territorial development in urban functional areas’ takes place in Warsaw from 24 to 26 October.

The timing fits neatly with the expected release of the cohesion policy regulations and it will take place alongside a high-level conference hosted by the Polish presidency. Debates will focus on financial and non-financial instruments for territorial development and will feed into the current discussion on the future cohesion policy.

Forum members will have the opportunity to attend the first day of the conference, on ‘urban areas as engines of growth’. The forum programme will then continue with working group meetings and a study visit on ‘Warsaw image building and marketing’ as well as a meeting to discuss the forum’s priorities and working groups.

Vice-Mayor of Poznan, Tomasz Kayser, and Liverpool councillor, Nick Small, chair and vice-chair of the EDF, will host a politicians’ debate on ‘European cities building the economic recovery’, together with

the mayor of Warsaw Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, vice – president of EUROCITIES

Polish presidency conference: tinyurl.com/3s7wpok Soraya Zanardo, policy assistant – coordination & governance: soraya.zanardo@eurocities.eu

Instruments for future territorial development in Europe

A barge on the Rhône river will be the unconventional setting for the CLUSNET final conference on 13 – 14 October. CLUSNET is an INTERREG IVC funded project that brings together major cities, EUROCITIES and Stockholm School of Economics to analyse and improve cluster support policies. This two-day meeting will showcase the project’s findings on how to improve cluster performance in Europe.

The conference, moderated by the renowned urbanist Greg Clark, will give an opportunity to representatives from clusters across Europe to network and share expertise over a series of thematic workshops. Nikos Pantalos from the European Commission’s DG Enterprise and Industry will present the EU policy dimension of clusters and city leaders will join for an exchange of experiences and best practice. On the second day, participants will be able to visit some of Lyon’s clusters.

This event will examine the outcomes of ten city study visits to Barcelona, Budapest, Dortmund, Eindhoven, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Leipzig, Lyon, Manchester and Munich, that have taken place since the project began in January 2009.

CLUSNET: www.clusnet.eu Susana Forjan, projects assistant: susana.forjan@eurocities.eu

All aboard in Lyon: CLUSNET final conference

Towards a single market for services

The services directive adopted at the end of 2006 aimed to remove obstacles to the trade of services within the single market. Today, one year after the implementation deadline, the Commission and member states have completed an assessment of how the directive has been implemented on the ground. The results of this mutual evaluation exercise, finalised in January 2011, concluded that while some progress has been made, the single market for services is not yet delivering to its full potential.

While services currently represent two-thirds of the EU's GDP and employment, they only account for around one-fifth of total intra-EU trade.

The European Commission believes that additional measures are needed to unlock potential for growth and that an integrated single market for services would help businesses grow, innovate and create more jobs, and also provide better and more competitive services to EU consumers and businesses alike.

Service providers are currently affected by a multitude of national and EU rules. For example, an architect based in Belgium who works for clients in the Netherlands may be subject to: the services directive; the directive on the recognition of professional qualifications; the directive on electronic commerce; and other existing EU rules governing business-to-business and/or business-to-consumer transactions. For the single market to deliver tangible benefits, it is essential that these rules are implemented and applied consistently, and that they facilitate the trade in services.

A ‘performance check’ has been launched to assess how the services directive and other instruments work in practice. This exercise will allow the European Commission to determine whether the interaction of the EU legislation around services is satisfactory or whether greater clarity or new measures are needed. The objective is to propose concrete solutions to problems identified before the end of 2012, and the European Commission welcomes input from stakeholders on these performance checks by 15 October 2011. The EUROCITIES working group on services of general interest will discuss these at the next meeting on 22 September 2011.

Marie Ranty, policy officer - economic development: marie.ranty@eurocities.eu

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economic development

Warsaw | 24-26 October 2011

Lyon | 13-14 October

Today, only about 8% of European SMEs do business in other member states.

7Flash 109 September 2011

environment

he European Commission has pointed out that much remains to be done to improve the environment in cities.

In its assessment of the 6th Environment Action Programme (6th EAP), the Commission finds that the programme

significantly contributed to promoting additional measures, in particular under the thematic strategy on the urban environment.

However, a number of concerns remain. For instance, high levels of particulate matter and ozone in many urban areas still cause early deaths and respiratory diseases.

The Commission asks for more and better policy development at EU level to address the urban environment, not least since nearly 75% of the EU population lives in cities. Changing consumer behaviour should be a priority.

In the other policy areas of the 6th EAP - air, pesticides, waste prevention and recycling, natural resources, soil, and marine environment - the plan has also helped address key issues, even though progress differed depending on the thematic areas highlighted in the programme. The Commission has yet to confirm whether there will be a successor to the 6th EAP after 2012

Commission calls for more action on urban environment

The cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa will welcome the EUROCITIES Environment Forum on 28 – 30 September. “We have chosen ‘partnerships’ as the meeting theme because we feel that it is one of the most important factors in the field of environmental issues”, says Helsinki’s Deputy Mayor Pekka Sauri.

The host city will share partnership projects with the forum, including its new Climate Info Centre and the SME project EcoCompass.

Participants will then have the chance to exchange experiences on how to forge successful partnerships with other cities, businesses, universities and citizens. Working groups and the forum will also address ‘green growth’, a concept that benefits from successful partnerships.

Also on the agenda are the environment and climate elements of the proposed future multi-annual financial framework of the EU, the environment forum strategy and priorities for 2012, and further current EU environmental policy developments.

‘Partnerships’ at the September environment forum

Commission assessment of the 6th EAP: tinyurl.com/3jzopga Michael Klinkenberg, policy officer – environment: michael.klinkenberg@eurocities.eu

Michael Klinkenberg, policy officer – environment: michael.klinkenberg@eurocities.eu

The Covenant of Mayors Office will host a series of discussion groups on 12 October in the framework of the Open Days 2011

The Covenant of Mayors discussion groups will allow local and regional authorities to:

� exchange experiences with European Commission, Covenant representatives and peers on access to and implementation of local/regional/national/European financial instruments and funding mechanisms available for energy efficiency related projects;

� meet managers of existing European funding programmes

� draw on experiences of existing funding schemes and suggest how future EU and national funding could be shaped to encourage local and regional authorities in their efforts to go beyond the EU energy and climate objectives.

This event is primarily open to Covenant signatories, coordinators and supporters. Other organisations and people interested in attending can participate subject to availability of seats, after prior confirmation from the Covenant of Mayors Office.

Event information: tinyurl.com/3jf6xn9 Contact: events@eumayors.eu

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Open Days, Covenant of Mayors discussion groups

Brussels | 12 October 2011Helsinki | 28-30 September 2011

Matti Terri

40% of the EU’s population living in urban areas is still subject to levels of noise exceeding the

threshold recommended by the WHO.

“We need cities, businesses and universities

as partners in order to fight climate change.”

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This year’s EUROCITIES Knowledge Society Forum autumn event will be hosted by the city of Eindhoven on 20 - 21 October and will focus on two main themes:

� Open innovation in an intelligent community: participants will take part in an ‘open innovation cruise’ through local companies and research institutes.

� Horizon 2020: the new EU funding framework for research and innovation due to start in 2014. Discussion on the current barriers and challenges cities face when implementing research & innovation programmes and what must change in future.

� Matchmaking activities around the FP7-REGIONS-2012 call.

KSF working groups (open data, Smart Cities, eInclusion & services directive) and the members’ meetings will be held on the first day,

while the open innovation cruise and Horizon 2020 thematic conference take place on the following day

Open innovation in Eindhoven

More information and registration: brainporteindhovenregion.eventbrite.com/ Jan Franke, policy officer – knowledge society: jan.franke@eurocities.eu

Funding opportunity: ICT for energy-positive neighbourhoods

Jan Franke, policy officer - knowledge society: jan.franke@eurocities.eu

As part of the 8th FP7 call for proposals, the Commission has launched an objective on ‘ICT for energy-positive neighbourhoods’ (EEB-ICT-2011-6.5).

With an indicative budget of €30 million, the objective will support projects that demonstrate a real potential to contribute to the European energy-efficient buildings initiative by developing management, control and decision-support systems addressing the dynamics and demand of energy supply in urban and rural communities.

For more information, consult the presentations in the knowledge society section of the EUROCITIES members’ area.

Eindhoven | 20-21 October 2011

NiCE project launched in Brussels EUROCITIES is taking the lead in

the NiCE (Networking intelligent cities for energy efficiency) project, launched on 13 September. The project will promote the Green Digital Charter (GDC) and support cities in implementing its goals.

At the event, EUROCITIES members were informed of the project’s support and capacity-building activities. NiCE will offer free training sessions, study tours and the opportunity for cities to showcase their Green ICT activities by participating in GDC roadshows or events linked with the Covenant of Mayors. Cities will also benefit from the tools NiCE will develop to support implementation and reporting of GDC commitments.

Members discussed their expectations of the project, which will be fed back to the NiCE partners. The event concluded with presentations from the cities of Malmo, Bristol and Nuremberg, sharing their own experiences of implementing the GDC commitments to date.

If your city is interested in signing the charter or learning more about the project, please contact NiCE project coordinator, Giulia Campodonico.

Giulia Campodonico, project officer – knowledge society: giulia.campodonico@eurocities.eu

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knowledge society

EUROCITIES recommendations on public funding for broadband infrastructure

In response to a stakeholder consultation on the European Commission's revision of EU rules on the public financing of broadband infrastructure, we submitted our existing position on state aid guidelines from 2009. The Commission will present new guidelines in 2012. Our position:

� provides for a wider and more consistent definition of Next Generation Access (NGA) networks, which should also include Fibre to the Home (FttH) to existing homes and buildings;

� emphasises the impact that NGA deployment can have on the more general public objectives of social cohesion and economic development;

� states that there is a risk of a new digital divide, particularly in deprived urban areas and acknowledges the fact that the main barriers to NGA deployment are the increasingly high initial investment costs.

The position paper can be found on the EUROCITIES website.

EUROCITIES comments on draft Broadband state aid guidelines: www.eurocities.eu (knowledge society – documents) Jan Franke, policy officer – knowledge society: jan.franke@eurocities.eu

9Flash 109 September 2011

he city of Mannheim will host the next EUROCITIES Mobility Forum meeting on 6-7 October to discuss the theme ‘smart mobility for smart cities’.

The Smart Cities and Communities initiative, launched by the European Commission in June this year aims to boost the development of integrated sustainable solutions that offer clean, secure and affordable energy to citizens, reducing consumption and creating new markets. Smart mobility (green, intelligent, and safe mobility) plays a major role in achieving these goals, for example by developing a new mobility culture that involves a shift to more sustainable modes of transport.

The meeting will present the initiative, which offers a valuable financing and co-financing source for energy-efficient projects in European cities. Cities will be asked to present their vision of a ‘smart city’ and of ‘smart mobility’. Four working groups will meet, and site visits in Mannheim will take place.

Participants will also find out about the latest EU funding opportunities via a European projects update, including a workshop on the SEGMENT project.

More information, including the draft agenda of the event, can be found in the members’ area on the EUROCITIES website

More information: www.eurocities.eu Vanessa Holve, policy officer - mobility: vanessa.holve@eurocities.eu

Register now for the CIVITAS forum conference

More information: www.civitas-initiative.org/cms_forum11.phtml Peter Staelens, project officer - mobility: peter.staelens@eurocities.eu

TSmart mobility for smart cities

mobility

As partner of the CIVITAS VANGUARD project, EUROCITIES is responsible for supporting and promoting the annual CIVITAS forum conferences, which bring together representatives from CIVITAS forum network member cities including politicians and technical experts.

This year’s conference will focus on ‘recipes for success: realising sustainable urban mobility together’. Cities from the Maderan archipelago, bridging Africa, Europe and Latin America, will share their experiences of local and transnational programmes which have succeeded in making urban mobility sustainable. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their own success stories in parallel sessions.

Participants will leave the event with a ‘menu of good practice’ or 'toolbox' of proven measures and ideas; recipes for success that cities may use and adapt as a basis to working with champion cities to achieve the common goal of sustainable urban mobility.

Mannheim | 6-7 October 2011

Funchal | 17-19 OctoberA step closer to cleaner transport

The Commission is planning to launch the Clean Transport Systems (CTS) initiative at the end of 2011. This should help put an end to oil dependency in transport in the longer term. Under the CTS initiative, the Commission is preparing to launch, in the first quarter of 2012, a communication on alternative transport fuels. The strategy should provide the industry, public sector and consumers with a clear and coherent vision. Furthermore, it should help to accelerate the use of alternative transport fuels in the EU.

Together with the communication, the Commission is also considering putting forward a legislative proposal on alternative fuel infrastructure requirements. This proposal could be very important for cities when it comes to the deployment of electric vehicles and the related charging systems.

A public consultation has been launched which will help to shape the above-mentioned proposals. The consultation, which closes on 6 October, can be found in electronic form through the interactive policy-making tool. The results will be summarised and published on the Commission's website.

Commission consultation: tinyurl.com/6j4539t More information on the CITS initiative: tinyurl.com/3dnpkoh Vanessa Holve, policy officer - mobility: vanessa.holve@eurocities.eu

SEGMENT project workshop in Mannheim

A workshop organised by the SEGMENT project takes place during the mobility forum in Mannheim on 7 October from 14:00 to 16:00. SEGMENT is a three-year project which looks at using market segmentation to encourage citizens to adopt more energy-efficient forms of transport. The workshop will present the results of the project and promote exchange of ideas between participants. For more information on the project, please visit the website.

Mannheim | 7 October 2011

SEGMENT: www.segmentproject.eu Susana Forjan, project assistant: susana.forjan@eurocities.eu

Flash 109 September 201110

UROCITIES’ recently published statement on Roma demands a real involvement for cities in the new EU framework for Roma inclusion. European heads of state adopted this

European framework before the summer and agreed to submit national action plans to the European Commission by the end of 2011. These plans should demonstrate how member states envisage closing the gaps between Roma and the rest of their population in education, employment, health and housing.

Our statement underlines that the targets of the national Roma integration strategies cannot be met without involving cities – beginning with the situation analysis through to the design of national strategies and action plans.

Cities' efforts to achieve equal opportunities, social inclusion and minority rights are compromised by limited access to structural funds in many countries. Our statement reiterates the position taken up in our cohesion policy work: cities need better access to structural funds if they are to effectively tackle social exclusion. Our statement also calls for the implementation of the EU anti-discrimination directives

to eliminate discrimination as a driver of migration of Roma within Europe.

A conference organised by the city of Budapest, EUROCITIES and the Committee of the Regions on 31 May, under the Hungarian Presidency, sent a similar message to European and national policy makers. Daniël Termont, Mayor of Ghent, stressed that

Under the leadership of Ghent, the EUROCITIES taskforce on Roma inclusion will monitor how national governments involve cities in their action plans. The taskforce will also hold a peer review on Roma mediator schemes in education on 24-26 October in Berlin. It will include city practitioners, Roma stakeholders from EU and local level, and representatives from the European

Foundation Centre's initiative 'Foundations for Roma Inclusion'. Participants will also examine Berlin's new contact point for Eastern European workers and Roma

EUROCITIES calls for city role in Roma inclusion

EUROCITIES statement on Roma integration: www.eurocities.eu (social affairs – documents) Dirk Gebhardt, programme officer social affairs: dirk.gebhardt@eurocities.eu

As part of Cities for Active Inclusion (EUROCITIES-NLAO), eight major European cities will host national workshops between September and October. The events will focus on the active inclusion of young people, presenting cities’ main research findings and promoting the exchange of knowledge between national stakeholders. The workshops will take place on the following dates:

� Copenhagen: 26 September

� Stockholm: 27 September

� Lille Metropole-Roubaix: 29 September

� Krakow: 30 September

� Rotterdam: 5 October

� Birmingham: 5 October

� Brno: 6 October

� Bologna: 13 October

The workshops will bring together stakeholders and practitioners to discuss the latest EU developments on active inclusion policies. Successful local practices to support the active inclusion of young people will be presented, focussing particularly on integrating young people into the labour market.

Members are invited to register for the workshops by contacting the city representatives which can be found using the link below.

Cities for Active Inclusion (EUROCITIES-NLAO) autumn workshops

Registration and further information: tinyurl.com/3th7hyg

Cities central to promoting healthy habits in old age

European Year for Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity: tinyurl.com/6gkrtw9 Caroline Greene, communications officer – social affairs: caroline.greene@eurocities.eu

2012 has been named European Year for Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity. At 'Preparing for the European Year of Active Ageing', an event in Brussels on 5 July 2011, Ralf Jacobs from the European’s Commission’s department for employment, social affairs and inclusion spoke about the vital role cities will play in its success, and referred to the need for regional and local authorities to be involved.

The cost of healthcare and pensions associated with the ageing population puts a significant strain on public finances, and the Commission wants to use the year to highlight the potential of older people. The Commission will be contacting regional authorities for their commitments to achieving this goal. For more information on the programme, visit the official website below.

E

social affairs

"Cities in Western Europe do not feel sufficiently supported

by national governments and the European Union when dealing with the issues of housing, social cohesion and exploitative labour

created by the uncontrolled migration of Roma.”

11Flash 109 September 2011

he city of Bordeaux has managed to retain its historic charm and beauty whilst operating a state-of-the-art public transport network.

Our latest best practice case study looks at the city’s innovative tram system, serving a population of over one million, and thousands of tourists every year. The most striking feature of Bordeaux’s trams is the lack of overhead wires; in the historic city centre the trams run on ground-level power so as not to detract from the magnificent architecture.

Furthermore, the reintroduction of the trams by mayor Alain Juppé in 1997 has gradually created new focal points around the tram stops, and has allowed many of the city’s traditional squares to become areas of calm, with the city centre becoming predominantly pedestrian. Of

course, cars can still access the city, but with underground car parks hidden from view and air quality in the centre now better than the suburbs, they do so with minimum impact.

Ironically, Bordeaux’s first tram system, dating back to 1880, was abandoned in 1958 on the basis that it hindered traffic flow in the city. Today’s passengers, however, are far more welcoming.

Today, the system represents on average 100 million trips per year, and around 63% of journeys made on the public transport network are by tram. The current network covers 44km but extensions are scheduled in the coming years. Passengers benefit from smart technology enabling coordinated interchanges between bus, tram and rail, platform-height floors and air-conditioning, making travelling by public transport more comfortable and convenient.

Modern mobility in a historic city

Barcelona's latest innovation incubator is open for business! Almogàvers business factory is a centre for

newly-created businesses launched by the city of Barcelona together with local universities, research centres, professional associations and venture capital funds that are committed to innovation and entrepreneurship.

New businesses continue to join this public-private partnership and are given incubation space within the centre. This amenity will support companies with high innovative potential and foster the creation of new jobs, both central to economic recovery.

The new incubator, which is located at the heart of 22@, Barcelona’s innovation district, was launched on 1 June with 12 companies employing a total of 33 people. The average turnover of these companies stands at €1.3 million and is set to reach €5.1 million.

The incubation spaces are proving to be excellent sources of talent attraction: 18% of workers in companies located at Almogàvers business factory come from outside Spain.

Almogàvers business factory becomes the third municipal incubation environment in the city of Barcelona. Over 110 companies are located in Barcelona Activa’s incubation spaces generating an annual turnover of more than €50 million, creating 650 jobs and raising about €44 million in funding. One in three new projects installed in the Glòries business incubator does business internationally, while this figure rises to 50% for tech companies established at the Barcelona North Technology Park.

Marc Sans, institutional cooperation officer, Barcelona Activa: marc.sans@barcelonactiva.cat Barcelona Activa: www.barcelonactiva.cat

T“The tram definitely changed my way of moving

around the city. I save much more time than if I used my car! Not only is the tram beautiful, but it also gives you the chance to rediscover the city."

Case study on Bordeaux’s trams: www.eurocities.eu (good practice) Rose Montgomery, communications assistant: rose.montgomery@eurocities.eu

city news

12Flash 109 September 2011

Public sector reform London 29 September 2011

Opening up services www.publicserviceevents.co.uk

OPEN DAYS 2011 Brussels & Europe-wide 10-13 October 2011

Regions & cities for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth www.opendays.europa.eu

Future cities: creating tomorrow’s urban world

Stockholm 18-19 October 2011

Economist conference http://cemea.economistconferences.com

The urban dimension of regional policy post-2013

Brussels 19 October 2011

Implementing the EU 2020 strategy with European cities info@hanse-office.de

Smart cities 2011 global conference Amsterdam 29-30 November 2011

Intelligent infrastructures for the information age www.smartcitiesglobal.com

EUROCITIES

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e-mail: info@eurocities.eu

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EUROCITIES Flash is publishedby EUROCITIES Brussels office. © EUROCITIES 2011 Please send any contributions and comments to: flash@eurocities.eu

PublisherPaul Bevan, Secretary General EditorRose Montgomery LayoutRob Harris Productions

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