Urban Agenda for the EU Nicolaas Beets Dutch Urban Envoy
IFHP-Conference, Rotterdam 10 November 2016
The Urban Agenda for the EU – Why?
72%
of Europeans live in cities
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In cities, opportunities and challenges meet
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Europe 2020 Strategy
Sustainable
Smart
Inclusive 4
Trend of increasing acknowledgment importance local government 1987
1989
European Single Act
First regulation
Specific responsibility EU for regional policy
(ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund)
Structural Funds
1992
2007
Maastricht Treaty
Lisbon Treaty
• Importance local and regional authorities for EU policy acknowledged • Creation of Committee of the Regions
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• Local and regional authorities acknowledged • Subsidiarity principle now applicable to local and regional authorities
Pact of Amsterdam fits this trend 2016 Pact of Amsterdam
• Establishes the Urban Agenda for the EU • An informal contribution to the design of future and revision of existing EU regulation, in order for it to better reflect urban needs, practices and responsibilities.
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The Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU) Creating the conditions at EU-level for cities to blossom through: 1. Better regulation:
EU legislation needs to take urban realities more into account 2. Better funding:
Cross-sectoral financial instruments, simplefying existing funds, more possibilities of combing funds 3. Better knowledge:
Improvement of knowledge, strenghtening of sharing knowledge
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Pact of Amsterdam • UAEU priority of the Ministry
of the Interior and Kingdom Relations during the Netherlands EU Presidency.
• UAEU formalised in writing in
the Pact of Amsterdam.
• Negotiations throughout
Netherlands presidency of the European Council. • 30 May 2016 – Informal
Ministerial Meeting: Pact of Amsterdam adopted. • 24 June 2016: Council 8
conclusions welcoming the Pact of Amsterdam.
Thematic Partnerships A new form of informal multilevel cooperation where cities, Member States, EU institutions and stakeholders work in partnership. Partnerships work alongside and will feed into formal EU process (Council, EC, EP).
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Thematic Partnerships
Key instrument of the UAEU.
Focus on priority themes.
Concrete, case based approach -> result oriented and open to every party that wants to make a concrete contribution.
Membership: cities, member states, EU institutions, other stakeholders (e.g. EIB, Housing Europe)
Formulation of proposals for better regulation, better funding, better knowledge exchange. 10
Priority themes of the UA EU Air quality Innovative and responsible public procurement
Circular economy
Urban mobility
Inclusion of migrants and refugees
Digital transition
Jobs and skills
Affordable housing Climate adaptation
Energy transition
Urban Poverty Sustainable use of land and naturebased solutions
Example: Affordable Housing Objective: The objectives are to provide affordable housing of good quality. The focus will be on public housing, state aid rules and general housing policy. Membership Coordinators: Slovakia and Vienna Urban areas: Vienna, Scottish City Alliance, Riga, Madrid, Poznan. MS: Slovakia, Slovenia, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands. Others: European Commission (DG Regio, DG Housing and DG Energy), Housing Europe, Aedes, Eurocities, European Investment Bank & International Union of Tenants, URBACT. 12
Example: Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees Objective: the integration of migrants and refugees and to provide a framework for their inclusion. Membership: •
Coordinator: City of Amsterdam and DG Home
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Urban areas: Amsterdam, Berlin, Helsinki, Barcelona (Metropolitan Area) and Athens.
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Member States: Greece, Portugal, Italy and Denmark.
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Others: European Commission (DG Regio, DG Home, DG Employ), Eurocities, CEMR, EIB & European Council on Refugees and Exiles
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Current State of Affairs UA EU •
Support EC secretariat for Partnerships starting 2017 (€4,8 mln.)
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EC testing methods to improve 'urban proofing’ EU regulations
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Online ‘one-stop-shop’ for urban-related activities EC is operational (October 2016)
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EC Urban Data Portal is operational (October 2016)
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Urban Innovative actions (370 mln. Euro) – Direct funding EC -> Cities – First call (€ 80 mln.): 18 projects awarded funding (Oct 2016) – Second call December 2016 (€ 50 mln.)
www.urbanagendaforthe.eu Twitter: @EUUrbanAgenda •
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