The contribution of EU Regional/Cohesion programmes

1. The contribution of EU Regional/Cohesion programmes Corinne Hermant-de Callataÿ European Commission, Regional Policy, Urban Unit QeC-ERAN ConferenceSkills for sustainable and competitive urban development - 22 May 2007

2. Mainstreaming the URBAN Community Initiative 2007-2013 • Skills agenda and Governance • The new URBACT programme

3. Mainstreaming Urban Community Initiative 2007-2013 • The URBAN Community Initiative will no longer exist • Urban issues will be addressed within • the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) • the Operational Programmes (OP)

4. Mainstreaming the urban dimension: the Regulatory Framework 2007-2013 • There is an enlarged scope of assistance for urban development operations (C.R. 1080/2006 Art. 4, 5, 6 and 8) • Special provisions for sustainable urban development (C.R. 1080/2006 Art. 8) • Expenditure for housing shall be eligible for the new MS, when programmed within the framework of an integrated urban development operation or priority axis (C.R. 1080/2006 Art. 7(2)) • Recognition of cities as partners in preparation and implementation of programmes (C.R. 1083/2006 Art. 11) • Optional sub-delegation of integrated measures to cities

5. ExpectedOPs117 ESF327 ERDF& CF350 B€EC fundsup to 500 B€investmt

6. Mainstreaming - NSRF Checklist • Indication of Strategic choices concerning objectives relating to sustainable urban development • Reference to planning and coordination tools for ensuring the coherence of the interventions on urban area • Strategic indications concerning polycentricism, metropolitan areas, urban-rural links • Strategic indication concerning deprived urban areas

7. Mainstreaming - NSRF Checklist Indications or references concerning: • Multilevel government, partnership and sub-delegation/global grant • Role of cities, urban and metropolitan areas in the implementation of Lisbon Agenda • Selected cities or criteria for their selection • Capacity building, skill development or technical assistance measure addressed to cities • Coordination with the ESF and for urban integrated development EIB

8. Mainstreaming - OP Checklist • Urban planning: the OP refers to integrated approach to urban planning at metropolitan or urban or district level • The OP contains an urban or territorial priority axis • The OP contains a territorial specification concerning urban areas in the thematic priorities • The selected urban areas or the criteria for their selection are indicated • The OP contains financial engineering measures related to urban areas

9. Mainstreaming - OP Checklist • Specific references to Article 8 • Involvement of local and urban authorities • Specific targets are defined for urban areas • Co-ordination with urban actions in ESF • Coordination with urban interventions by EIB • Reference to use of Technical Assistance and to Capacity building measures addressed to urban and local authorities • Reference to exchange of experiences and best practices.

10. Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 Article 46 • Technical assistance of the Member States • 1. At the initiative of the Member State, the Funds may finance the preparatory, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control activities of operational programmes together with activities to reinforce the administrative capacity for implementing the Funds within the following limits: • (a) 4 % of the total amount allocated under the Convergence and Regional competitiveness and employment objectives; • (b) 6 % of the total amount allocated under the European territorial cooperation objective.

11. The European Social Funds – Regulation 1081/2006 Article 2. Within the framework of the Convergence objective, the ESF shall support actions in Member States under the priorities listed below: […] ii) capacity building in the delivery of policies and programmes in the relevant fields, including with regard to the enforcement of legislation, especially through continuous managerial and staff training and specific support to key services, inspectorates and socio-economic actors including social and environmental partners, relevant non-governmental organisations and representative professional organisations.

12. From mainstreaming policy … …to real implementation • Cities’ capacity building • Integrated approach to sustainable urban development • Citizen participation • Networks and exchange of experience • Cross-fertilisation of competencies • Scalability of pilot experiences

13. From mainstreaming policy … …to real implementation • An integrated approach across different fields • A clear long-term vision, with action plan • A critical mass of financing, • A wide range of partners • various levels of government: national, regional and local, • private and voluntary sectors.

14. The new URBACT programme Shifting from an exchange programme to a development programme In thematic networks, all cities will be asked to develop local action plans*, in order to sustain results of networks in a longer-term perspective With a view to such policy implementation and development, cities will set up local support groups*, involving all relevant stakeholders. Capacity building will be part of this process. And a small funding will be given to these groups to develop their programmes * Indicative wording as it is still to be finalised

15. Next steps • Skills development may be supported both by ERDF and ESF • It is up to Member States and Managing authorities to foresee the use of OPs programming documents for skills development at the national, regional and local levels.

16. Thank you for your attention European Commission - Regional Policy Directorate-General • http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy Corinne.hermant@ec.europa.eu