EUROPEAN URBAN INITIATIVE (EUI)

EXPERT WORKING GROUPPlease take your seat in one of the seating

groups marked on the flip charts on the side of the room in view of the interactive part of

the session

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION TO THE

EUROPEAN URBAN INITIATIVE

PIA LAURILA & THOMAS de BÉTHUNEDG Regional and Urban Policy -

European Commission

MEMBERS OF THE EUI EXPERT WORKING GROUPURBACTManaging Authority – Ministry of Territorial Cohesion & Relations withTerritories - National Agency (FR)Technical Secretariat - Ministry of Territorial Cohesion & Relations with Territories – National Agency (FR)Urban Innovative Actions Entrusted Entity - Hauts-de-France Region (FR)

Permanent Secretariat - Hauts-de-France Region (FR)

Council of European Municipalitiesand Regions CEMREUROCITIES EC / Joint Research CentreEuropean Committee of the Regions----------------------------------------Expert appointed by the EC

WHO ELSE IS IN THE ROOM?• City• Region• Member State• EU Institution• Managing Authority• Civil Society/NGO• Other

15:00 – 15:15Welcome, introduction to the aims of the session and to the EUIPia Laurila & Thomas de Béthune, EC/DG REGIO

15:15 – 15:30Current state-of-play: developing the EUITwan de Bruijn, Expert assisting the EC in the design of the EUI

15:30 – 15:50

Insight into one aspect of how the EUI might work: the experience ofworking together with URBACT and Urban Innovative ActionsGiacomo Costantini, City of Ravenna (IT)Cleo Pouw, City of Rotterdam (NL)Inti Bertocchi, City of Bologna (IT)

15:50 – 17:10Interactive session: discussion circles on the EUI• Two discussion rounds

17:10 – 17:30 Q&A with audience and concluding remarksEC/DG REGIO and Twan de Bruijn, EUI Expert

COHESION POLICY AND CITIES IN 2014-2020Investments in sustainable urban developmentEUR 17 billion of ERDFEUR 1,5 billion of ESFMore than 960 integrated urban strategies

Capacity building - URBACT III and the Urban Development Network

Experimentation - Urban Innovative Actions

Knowledge/evidence for policies - Urban Agenda for the EU and ESPON – European Spatial Planning Observatory Network .

Investments in sustainable urban development:• Minimum 6% of ERDF • Policy Objective Europe closer to

citizensMinimum requirements for integrated territorial/urban development:

• Integrated urban strategies in place • Local bodies involved in selection of

operations

European Urban Initiative –Post-2020

COHESION POLICY AND CITIES IN 2021-2027

EUROPEAN URBAN INITIATIVE: RATIONALE

• Urban challenges will be more pressing in the future

• Cities need to scale up cooperation, seek for new solutions, share knowledge, deliver bottom-up evidence-based policy making

• Need for improved governance

• Support of the Urban Agenda for the EU

• Need to tackle fragmentation of support offered to cities

• More cities to be involved

EUROPEAN URBAN INITIATIVE AT A GLANCEObjectives: (1) Strengthen integrated and participatory approach to sustainable urban development (2) Provide a stronger link to EU policies, in particular to Cohesion Policy

Strands of actions:(a) Capacity building: Improve capacities of cities(b) Innovative actions: Develop transferable and scalable innovative solutions(c) Knowledge, policy & communication: for better policy design & implementation, urban mainstreaming, facilitate access to knowledgeCreation of interaction for increasing coherence and coordination between (a) (b) and (c)

Beneficiaries: all EU urban areas; upon request, support for inter-governmental cooperation on urban matters (Urban Agenda for the EU)Proposed budget: EUR 0,5 billion

CURRENT STATE-OF-PLAY: DEVELOPING THE EUI

TWAN DE BRUIJN (EU QUEST)Expert assisting the European Commission and

providing advice on the design of the EUI

THE CURRENT SITUATION• About EUR 17 billion managed directly by cities supporting

integrated strategies for sustainable urban development in Member States funded by European Regional Development Fund/Cohesion Fund and complemented by EUR 1.5 billion from European Social Fund

• ‘Mainstream’ Cohesion Policy investments that occur in urban areas in Member States and implemented through Operational Programmes = EUR 115 billion

• Complemented by a plethora of programmes and initiatives:• URBACT, Urban Innovative Actions, Urban Development Network, TAIEX-REGIO

PEER2PEER• Knowledge initiatives: ESPON - European Territorial Observatory Network, EC/Joint

Research Centre, Horizon 2020, Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe, national ministries, OECD, UN-Habitat, World Bank, etc.

• The EUI aims to increase the coordination and coherence of the current urban-related programmesand initiatives of Cohesion Policy – identified strands:• Support of capacity building• Support of innovative actions• Support of knowledge, policy development and communication

• The EUI aims to strengthen the link between these programmes and initiatives of Cohesion Policy and wider EU policy, particularly mainstreamCohesion Policy

FOCUS AREAS

• Beneficiaries struggle to understand who does what• Outputs are not fully capitalised upon• There is unexploited potential in the shared goals

of Urban Innovative Actions and URBACT as well as in actions of Urban Development Network, in actions supported by Cohesion Policy through more than 950 integrated urban development strategies implemented on ground, in actions of mainstream Cohesion Policy investments

PROBLEM: LACK OF COORDINATION AND COHERENCE

‘Everybody is doing their bit of the puzzle, but everybody is

doing it in their own way’EUI Expert Working Group Member

• Weak link at the ‘exit-point’ of Urban Innovative Actions and URBACT projects to mainstream Cohesion Policy programmes

• Weak link between the knowledge generated by the urban-related programmes and initiatives of Cohesion Policy and the Managing Authorities that could use this knowledge under the mainstream Cohesion Policy programmes

PROBLEM: WEAK LINK TO WIDER POLICY

• Designing of ‘EUI support trajectories’ which ensure that actions of different programmes and initiatives are implemented in an optimal manner and bring along coordination and coherence

• A common and explicit programme framework for the EUI• A rolling EUI work programme where responsibilities for

different actions are clearly defined and scheduled • Opportunities for staff members in the different strands to

work together • For example, creation of an internal dashboard that displays

data regarding how each strand (capacity building, innovative actions, knowledge & policy) is progressing with its work

INCREASING COORDINATION AND COHERENCE

• Use URBACT’s Transfer Network methodology to transfer a selection of innovative solutions tested by the Urban Innovative Actions

• EUI approved good practice + ‘mentoring’ city + fellow cities – such action proposed to be supported under capacity building• Phase 1: understanding of good practice and tailoring down the

transfer methodology• Phase 2: begin transferal and produce transfer plans + transfer diaries

DETAILS OF ONE PROPOSED SUPPORT TRAJECTORY

• EUI National Contact Points – setting up of a network of specialists across the EU where each Member State has a knowledgeable Contact Point which informs cities of the urban-related programmesand initiatives under Cohesion Policy and liaises with the programme managers at the EU level

• Policy entrepreneurship – identification of policy issues of interest and corresponding solutions and transferring this knowledge on well-functioning policies to policy-makers

STRENGTHENING THE LINK TO WIDERPOLICY

• Purpose is to help urban areas access and use knowledge to improve their policy development

• Policy-makers are overloaded by the quantity of information - reduce information overload by:• Identifying policy areas of interest• Identifying policy solutions in these areas• Carefully screening these policy solutions• Directly presenting these screened solutions

SUPPORTING KNOWLEDGE, POLICY DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNICATION

• The EUI will: • Increase coordination and coherence between the urban-related programmes

and initiatives of Cohesion Policy• Strengthen the link between these programmes and initiatives and mainstream

Cohesion Policy (and wider EU policy)• Support knowledge, policy development, and communication

• It could do this by:• Increasing accountability, predictability, and common understanding –

designing of EUI support trajectories – one example: transferring innovative solutions developed through capacity building networks

• Establishing EUI National Contact Points• Reducing information overload by carefully screening solutions that work well

and transferring them to policy makers

SUMMARY

INSIGHT INTO ONE ASPECT OF HOW THE EUI MIGHT WORK: THE EXPERIENCE OF

WORKING TOGETHER WITH URBACT AND URBAN INNOVATIVE ACTIONS

– GOOD PRACTICE CASE I

GIACOMO COSTANTINI, Deputy Mayor for Tourism and Smart City, City of Ravenna (IT)

RAVENNARavenna is a middle-sized city by the Adriatic Sea

Our assets:• Culture & Art / UNESCO Heritage• Sandy beaches and maritime landscape• Commercial Port and industrial district• Lifestyle and tourism

RAVENNA AND OUR CHALLENGE

NOW ABANDONED, NEGLECTED, STATIC AREA• Environmental, social, economic issues• Heritage and landscape assets• Connection area between the ancient Art City

and Sea Side

TO ATTRACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE URBAN ECOSYSTEM• Contemporary art and creativity• Social innovation for inclusion• Economic re-start in brownfield area

CITY DOCKS AND DARSENA DISTRICT,

FORMER CITY PORT AND LIVELY CITY BUSINESS DISTRICT

LOCAL STRATEGY FOR THE CITY DOCKS

PARTICIPATORY PATHThe Darsena I wish

2010-15

DETAILED URBAN PLAN DARSENA (2016) INTEGRATED PROJECT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS FOR NEW INFRASTRUCTURES AND BUSINESS «IL MARE IN PIAZZA»

NATIONAL PLAN FOR SUBURBS REHABILITATION (SUBMISSION 2016 – IMPLEMENTATION 2018-21)

URBACT III – IMPLEMENTATION NETWORK CREATIVE SPIRITS

2016-19

URBACT III – CREATIVE SPIRITS NETWORK THE ADDED VALUE

• Know how• Ideas• Methodology

From/with

• Programme/project/localexperts

• Partner cities• ULG & Local Stakeholders

• Stakeholders’ involvement

• Integrated actionplan

• Financial innovation

• Monitoring andevaluation

DELIVERY OF

DARSENA REGENERATION ACTION PLAN DESIGNED WITH CREATIVE STAKEHOLDERS

DARE PROJECT IDEAAND CO-DESIGN APPLYING THE URBACT RESULTS FRAMEWORK APPROACH

Submission underUIA 4° call

STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVEMENT2 ULG members are DARE deliverypartners:CNA Ravenna (Business Association)CIFLA (local Research and InnovationIstitution)

ULG is a Stekholder of DARE project

• Involvement of «unusual» stakeholders into the regeneration process: cultural and creative industries and non profit organisations

• ULG as ongoing structured methodology

INTEGRATED ACTION PLANNING

DARE PROJECT METHODOLOGY• CO-DESIGN WITH

- 4 Deputy mayors- ALL Municipality departments- 12 partners- Many stakeholders

• USING THE URBACT RESULTS FRAMEWORK APPROACH

URBACT ACTION PLANUrban regeneration concept andaction plan:• Olistic approach• Citizens’ centred• Innovative ideas from

stakeholders (Darsena Archive, Street Art…)

• Connection with digital tools

DARE PROJECT IDEAUrban regeneration thanks to digital transition

Submission underUIA 4° call

IMPROVED APPROACH TO FUNDING

• New tools activated(e.g. crowdfunding based on ULG ideas/ training and engagement)

• Plan and contacts with investmentfunds

• New perspective on fundingcomplementarity

ECN European crowdfundingnewtwork is a partner of DARE

IMPROVED APPROACH TO FUNDING

New perspective on funding complementarity

Pilot actionsPolicy Action plan

Citizens’ and stakeholders Engagement

Olistic project development and funding strategy

@DARE Ravenna

INSIGHT INTO ONE ASPECT OF HOW THE EUI MIGHT WORK: THE EXPERIENCE OF

WORKING TOGETHER WITH URBACT AND URBAN INNOVATIVE ACTIONS

– GOOD PRACTICE CASE II

CLEO POUW, City of Rotterdaman (NL)

EXPERIENCE• URBACT I (2004-2006) SecurCity – Safety policies in cities

• URBACT II (2007-2011) • My Generation – Participation by young people in city policies• My Generation at Work - Employability and employment of young people

• URBACT III (2013-2015) Resilient Cities - Improving city resilience

• Urban Innovative Actions (2016-2019) - BRIDGE project -aligning young people’s educational choices with future labour market needs

CAPACITY BUILDING IN URBACT• Coordination of 4 networks of 10-12 EU cities• Local Groups and Local Action Plans• Process guidance (including tools) ->step by step assisting cities

in developing an integrative and participatory approach (and make a difference!)

• Starting from problem structuring and current situation• Strong guidance for partners on the diversity of the local

partnership -> involving all relevant stakeholders• Strengthen the capacity of local stakeholders to develop efficient

policies.

CHALLENGES

VISION

Pathways

EXPERIMENT

Integrated Action Plan

Lessons from Experiment

(results monitoring and assessing)

IMPORTANCE OF EXPERIMENTING• In URBACT small scale at neighbourhood level• In UIA at the level of South Rotterdam• Trying out in practice new ways of doing, organizing and thinking• Multi-actor action: city government is only one of the actors• Serve as a stepping stone for learning and show commitment to

the vision• Visible & Tangible > local, accessible, discussed, celebrated, owned

by community • Learn from the experiment • Make a difference, big or small!

INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE• From traditional ppt based meetings to interactive

workshop design• Skilled moderators• Creating a safe space for joint learning and inspiration• Experts guiding the process• Finding the ‘elements that work’ from local good practices• Partner cities learning and experiencing new interactive

tools to use in their local process• Building a community

URBACT -> UIA• Chance to acquire in-depth knowledge• Allows the exploration of a broad set of possible interventions • It erodes the old ways of thinking, providing a careful and

structured way of learning• Professionalism and confidence gained through URBACT helped us

dare to think, conceive and propose an innovative action • Helped in building a strong and reliable local partnership • Co-desiging the UIA proposal with the stakeholders• Importance of external expertise for learning, capturing

knowledge and reflection

IMPORTANCE OF URBACT - UIA

• Offering the opportunity to experiment• Creation of a safe innovation space for cities implementing an

integrated and participative approach• Reducing the feelings of ‘risk’ of civil servants by working within

the URBACT / UIA framework • Impact and scaling across the city from these experiments – for

UIA BRIDGE influencing the Work Learning Agreements in Rotterdam

• URBACT and UIA secretariat believe in the power of cities and act accordingly!

EU PARTNERSHIP ON JOBS AND SKILLS IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY• Rotterdam involved in the Partnership on Jobs and Skills• Support the crucial transition phase towards the future economy.• Important for cities to be involved in all elements currently

happening at the EU level that can benefit this transition.• Input for the next skills discussions, regulations, financing and

knowledge exchange• Via the Partnership we advocate for an integral approach of the

Human Capital agenda within the European Funds

INSIGHT INTO ONE ASPECT OF HOW THE EUI MIGHT WORK: THE EXPERIENCE OF

WORKING TOGETHER WITH URBACT AND URBAN INNOVATIVE ACTIONS

– GOOD PRACTICE CASE III

INTI BERTOCCHI, City of Bologna (IT)Inti.bertocchi@comune.bologna.it

URBACT PROJECTS

Focus : integration of Roma populationsMain goal : to overcome negative attitudes, improve consultation and engagement with the Roma community

Focus : creation of a Thematic Network across Europe to connect cultural and creative industriesMain goal : to stimulate the effects of "spill over"

SALUS SPACE PROJECT (UIA)

Focus : integration of migrants and refugeesMain goal : to overcome the traditional reception model by creating and innovative corespace, open to citizens, where the welcoming of refugees will match with a wider vision of multicultural welfare and social cohesion

www.saluspace.eu

LESSONS LEARNT FROM URBACT

Key issues:• Local Support Group multilevel governance• Bottom-up approach participative model (target

involvement)

Needs Analysis Local Action Plan

Implementation of actions/ local policies

Follow up and new projects

The process:

UIA PROJECT Integrated services:• Dwellings• Hostel• Multicultural restaurant• Theatre• Craftsmanship laboratories• Gardens• Research center – coworking

space

Local stakeholders

(LSG)

NGOs

Public Institutions

(LGC)

Universityand research centers

(Think Tank)

Citizens(editorial staff and evaluation group)

Beneficiaries(refugees, households,

students, ...)

Towards the « Participatory Foundation »

INTERACTIVE SESSION: DISCUSSION CIRCLES ON

THE EUI

DISCUSSION ROUND 1:

• What kind of support do urban areas need from your organisation’s point of view? (25 min discussion)

• Harvesting (15 min)

DISCUSSION ROUND 2• How to reduce the existing gaps and

fragmentation between the different urban support tools/programmes under Cohesion Policy as well as between these tools/programmes and mainstream Cohesion Policy investments? (25 min discussion)

• Harvesting (15 min)

Keucheniusstraat

NEXT STEPS IN 2020EC, Expert and Expert Working Group continue preparatory activities of the EUI

• Design of actions that improve coordination and coherence between the urban tools of Cohesion Policy

• Dialogue with Member States and other Urban Actors on how to support the Urban Agenda for the EU in the frame of the EUI

Mid-2020: report by the Expert on the EUI design

Final preparations…

Thank You and Have a SafeTrip back Home!