20 years of EU support for urban development: Conference & Video

The European Commission celebrated this 20 years birthday during a conference in Brussels. People involved today and in the past in urban development recalled the innovativeness of the URBAN Community Initiative Programme for the regeneration of deprived neighbourhoods in a limited number of European cities. The focus on residents' participation in the design and implementation of these programmes, which addressed altogether economic, social and environmental aspects, constitutes the urban acquis at the basis to the Leipzig Charter, adopted by all European member states.

According to the Euroepan Commission "Exchange programmes among cities (as URBACT) have also proved tremendously successful – both in terms of popularity with the local practitioners and for the knowledge cities have collectively produced."

Participants mostly turned their eyes to the future by debating broad questions for the next period 2014-2020:

• Should the European Union encourage and support urban policy? If yes, the complexity of multi-layer governance facing cities should be taken into account.
• Should priorities be defined, and which ones?
• Is it necessary to create a specific European operational program for cities or should the inclusion of a specific chapter on urban issues become compulsory for all operational programmes?

The main questions have been raised; the next period's policies are now under construction.


Read more:

• 20 Years EU Urban Policy Video – INFOREGIO website
• URBACT in dates – URBACT website