Urban Agenda for the EU

Nicolaas Beets

Dutch Urban Envoy

IFHP-Conference, Rotterdam

10 November 2016

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The Urban Agenda for the EU – Why?

72% of Europeans live in cities

In cities, opportunities and challenges meet

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Europe 2020 Strategy

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Smart Sustainable

Inclusive

Maastricht Treaty

• Importance local

and regional authorities for EU

policy acknowledged

• Creation of

Committee of the Regions

Trend of increasing acknowledgment importance local government

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1987 1989 1992 2007

European Single Act

Specific

responsibility EU for regional

policy

First regulation

Structural Funds

(ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund)

Lisbon Treaty

• Local and regional authorities

acknowledged

• Subsidiarity principle now

applicable to local and regional authorities

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.

Pact of Amsterdam fits this trend

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2016

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 conclusions welcoming the Pact of Amsterdam.

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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.

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Inclusion of migrants and refugees

Affordable housing

Circular economy

Urban mobility

Urban Poverty

Digital transition

Sustainable use of land and nature-based solutions

Jobs and skills

Climate adaptation

Innovative and responsible public procurement

Priority themes of the UA EU

Energy transition

Air quality

Example: Affordable Housing

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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.

Objective: the integration of migrants and refugees

and to provide a framework for their inclusion.

Membership:

• Coordinator: City of Amsterdam and DG Home

• Urban areas: Amsterdam, Berlin, Helsinki, Barcelona (Metropolitan Area) and Athens.

• Member States: Greece, Portugal, Italy and Denmark.

• Others: European Commission (DG Regio, DG Home, DG Employ), Eurocities, CEMR, EIB & European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Example: Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees

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Current State of Affairs UA EU

• Support EC secretariat for Partnerships starting 2017 (€4,8 mln.)

• EC testing methods to improve 'urban proofing’ EU regulations

• Online ‘one-stop-shop’ for urban-related activities EC is operational (October 2016)

• EC Urban Data Portal is operational (October 2016)

• 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.)

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www.urbanagendaforthe.eu Twitter: @EUUrbanAgenda