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The urban and environmental dimensions within the Structural Funds of the European Union

The urban and environmental dimensions within the Structural Funds of the European Union. Corinne Hermant Directorate-General for Regional Policy Unit C.2 Urban development, territorial cohesion Brussels, 28 May 2009. Content. Urban and environmental actions in the Regional Policy

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The urban and environmental dimensions within the Structural Funds of the European Union

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  1. The urban and environmental dimensions within the Structural Funds of the European Union Corinne Hermant Directorate-General for Regional Policy Unit C.2 Urban development, territorial cohesion Brussels, 28 May 2009

  2. Content Urban and environmental actions in the Regional Policy • Regional/cohesion policy 2007-2013 • Activities so far - The „URBAN“ methodology: Key principles for integrated urban development • Instruments and tools for supporting urban development 2007-2013 • Environmental actions in the cohesion policy

  3. EU Financial Perspectives 2007-2013European Council - 19 December 2005

  4. Principles of the reform of regional/cohesion policy, 2007-2013 Challenge 1 - Closing the gaps on a global scale Challenge 2 - Closing the gaps on a European Scale

  5. Challenge 1 - Closing the gaps on a global scale: EU and US compared

  6. Challenge 2 - Closing the gaps on a European Scale: the 27 Member States

  7. INNOVATION PERFORMANCE

  8. Responding to the challenges – A reform based on: 1. A concentration of resources on the least prosperous regions 2. A concentration of the effort on the Lisbon agenda

  9. Concentration on the regions: policy targets • Over ¼ of population lives in regions below 75% of EU average GDP • 13 Member States have GDP below 90% of average (25% of population)

  10. Concentration on the regions: basic principles of EU Regional Policy (1) • Regional approach – 268 (NUTS 2) regions > average: ca. 16 000 km sq. – 1.8 million population • Not income transfers – support for programmes

  11. Concentration on the regions: basic principles of EU Regional Policy (2) Concentration of EU budgetary resources > 81.5% Convergence regions (35% of population); up from 72% > 16.0% Competitiveness regions > 2.5% Territorial co-operation

  12. Convergence objective (Regions > 75% in EU25) Objective 'Regional Competitiveness and Employment' Geographical Eligibility for Structural Funds Support 2007-2013 Convergence objective statistically affected regions Objective 'Regional Competitiveness and Employment' Phasing-in regions, "naturally" above 75% Index EU 25 = 100 Source: Eurostat

  13. Content • Regional/cohesion policy 2007-2013 • Activities so far - The „URBAN“ methodology: Key principles for integrated urban development • Instruments and tools for supporting urban development 2007-2013 • Environmental actions in the cohesion policy

  14. Urban actions in EU Regional Policy • No Commission mandate for urban development in the Treaty • Urban development is important task within regional development and within Article 158 • 1980ies: Need for coordination of European policies in certain territorial fields AND need for new (innovative) solutions to problems • 1989-1999 Urban Pilot-Projects (UPPs)

  15. Urban actions in EU Regional Policy • 1994-2006: The URBAN Community Initiative EC's instrument to support cities at the regeneration of deprived neighbourhoodsIntegrated approachCoordinated multiple solutions to tackle multiple problems • Scope in time/ scope in space • € 20 Million investments on areas / 20.000 inhabitants

  16. One important target: The deprived neighbourhoods

  17. Integrated urbandevelopment Programme (Management)Integrated urban development plan

  18. Content • Regional/cohesion policy 2007-2013 • Activities so far - The „URBAN“ methodology: Key principles for integrated urban development • Instruments and tools for supporting urban development 2007-2013 • Environmental actions in the cohesion policy

  19. Mainstreaming of the urban dimension 2007-2013 • 2007-2013: Urban actions become a part of Regional and National Operational Programmes and are no longer expressed through a single Community Initiative

  20. Mainstreaming of the urban dimension 2007-2013 • Structural Funds 2007-2013: Takes up the approach developed under the URBAN Community Initiative and suggests spreading this methodological concept to cities and regions across Europe.. • The Commission has carried out an analysis of all 316 ERDF Operational Programmes of all three EU Cohesion Policy Objectives.

  21. Mainstreaming of the urban dimension 2007-2013 New period, new opportunities for cities: • More than half of the ERDF programmes have an identifiable urban dimension, and address challenges in urban areas • Wide scope of actions in cities • All cities are potential beneficiaries of ERDF funding • More money in Convergence regions, but higher allocation in relative terms to urban development in RCE regions

  22. Mainstreaming of the urban dimension 2007-2013 A dual picture, strong sectoral focus: • Less emphasis on integrated urban development in new Member States than in the other Member States • Urban development operations in new Member States show strong tendency towards sectoral investment • The necessary capacity building and guidance, necessary for sufficient know-how and skills in integrated urban development, is foreseen in only a few cases, mainly in old Member States

  23. Mainstreaming of the urban dimension 2007-2013 Local involvement – a major challenge: • Limited role for cities in the design and implementation of programmes, in programme-related decision making processes and in governing budgets for investment on their territory • The possibility to delegate responsibilities to local authorities used in very few cases. • Limited information on concentration of funding to reach critical mass (i.e. minimum threshold of € 5-10 million per operation in French and Czech OPs). • Cities should be involved more strongly and more effectively in cooperation activities

  24. Instruments and Tools: URBACT – Exchange of Experience and Networking • URBACT (2003-2006): Programme for the exchange of experience on urban development • Part of the URBAN II Community Initiative (only URBAN and UPP cities were eligible) • …has developed 20 networks and 6 thematic working groups. • …in 2005 alone, more then 100 working seminars were organised in the framework of URBACT. • …approach was highly successful, but not directly linked to operations in Structural Funds programmes

  25. URBACT II (2007-13)The Urban Development Network Programme • Programme within the new objective “Territorial Cooperation“ • Enlarged eligibility for cities • Stronger links to mainstream OPs – assistance for the implementation of urban actions within SF programmes • One of the implementation instruments for “Regions for Economic Change“ • Started in October 2007 • Current state of play

  26. Instruments and Tools: Urban Audit – Analysing European Cities • Its almost 300 indicators cover the key aspects of demography, society, the economy, the environment, transport, the information society and leisure. • A total of 258 cities are already covered and this year’s exercise will extend this to over 300 cities. • Urban audit may help to design an intelligent urban policy in Europe today. • The results have been published on the Commission’s Urban Audit website www.urbanaudit.org

  27. Content • Regional/cohesion policy 2007-2013 • Activities so far - The „URBAN“ methodology: Key principles for integrated urban development • Instruments and tools for supporting urban development 2007-2013 • Environmental actions in the regional/cohesion policy

  28. Objectives Exploit the potential for a “win-win" synergy between environmental protection and business growth: • Mainstreaming environmental considerations • Assist regions in tackling climate change and engage in the low carbon economy • Eco-innovation & SMEs

  29. Cohesion Policy & environment - 30% of total Cohesion Policy funds 2007-2013 - 3 times more than in 2000-2006 (€ 37 billion)

  30. Investment examples: • Water management: € 22 billion • Waste management: € 6 billion • Biodiversity & nature protect.: € 3.9 b.

  31. Mainstreaming environment • Environment integrated in programme objectives & horizontal approach to implementation • Project compliance with EU environmental legislation: • Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of plans and programmes • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of specific projects

  32. Principles: - Cross cutting integration of low carbon practices and indicators - Regions are crucial to achieve EU’s climate goals: climate change as an opportunity • Investment examples: • Railways: € 23 billion • Clean urban transport: € 6 billion • Renewable energies: € 4.8 billion • Energy efficiency: € 4.2 billion

  33. Principles: • Foster competitiveness • Leadership in environmental technologies Investments: - Support to environmentally friendly products and processes (SMEs): € 3 billion

  34. Leader in green development Win-win policy: Positions EU as lead market in green technologies Creates new and sustainable jobs in local economies (growth) Improves and protects the environment

  35. Sources of information • Regulations 2007-13 (C.R. 1080/2006 and 1083/2006) • Community Strategic Guidelines 2007-13, especially chapter 2.1 • Communication C(2006) 385 „Cohesion Policy and cities. The urban contribution to growth and jobs in the regions“ (13.7.2006)http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/consultation/urban/index_de.htm (in all languages) with annexed working paper • For further information: corinne.hermant@ec.europa.eu

  36. Sources of information • Urban actions websites • Urban Audit: www.urbanaudit.org • URBACT: www.urbact.eu • DG REGIO/URBAN II: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/urban2/index_de.htm • ESPON: www.espon.eu

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