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Data: 19/03/2015
NEWS
• More than €74 million of EU funds to help improve urban policies in Europe
Boosting the knowledge, capacity and expertise of cities on integrated urban development will be at the heart of the discussions at the Brussels launch event of the URBACT III programme. With more than two-thirds of European citizens living in cities, the performance of our cities in tackling issues such as unemployment, poverty or resource efficiency is of great importance to Europe's recovery. The launch event is a timely opportunity for stakeholders to explore how URBACT can empower our cities in these crucial tasks.
The 2014-2020 URBACT programme was one of the first interregional programmes to be adopted. It is worth more than €96.3 million, with a contribution of around €74.3 million from the European Regional and Development Fund (ERDF). Since 2003, this exchange and learning programme has played a major role in facilitating networking, knowledge and good practice transfer between urban partners, having empowered over 500 cities since its existence.
In 2014-2020, at least 70% of the resources supporting exchange and learning will be concentrated on the areas of research and innovation, low-carbon economy, environmental protection, job creation and social inclusion. Overall, in this new period, at least 50% of the ERDF resources will be invested in urban areas.
The launch event will gather practitioners and experts in the field of urban policy and will be opened by Commissioner Corina Cretu.
• URBACT website
• URBACT III Launch Event
• Urban Policy portal
• Summary of the Operational Programme for Cohesion Policy Funds 2014-2020
For more information please visit the following link.
• Love without borders competition: cast your vote!
The EU "Love without borders" facebook competition, as part of the celebrations of 25 years of Interreg cooperation, has been a huge success, receiving many entries from across the continent. The submission period is now over and voting is open.
Go to the photo album on our facebook page to see the entries, and vote for your favourite pictures and stories. Don't forget to share them too, to encourage your friends and colleagues to vote.
Voting is open until midnight on April 3rd, and the 20 most "LIKED" (= voted) stories, plus 5 "wildcards" will go to the Jury, for a chance to win a romantic weekend in the Mosel region! The winner will be announced on 9th May.
For more information please visit the following link.
• European Regional Development Fund turns 40
The European Regional Development Fund was born 40 years ago, with the adoption of a Regulation on 18 March 1975 that laid the foundations for today's EU regional policy.
In December 1974, the European Commission had announced that the then European Economic Community (EEC) of nine Member States was to have a European Regional Development Fund to 'finance the growth of its most backward areas'.
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY TO HAVE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
The European Community will soon have a Regional Development Fund to help finance the economic growth of its most backward areas. This was one of the most important political decisions made by the nine EC heads of government at their "Summit" meeting in Paris December 9-10, 1974.
A fund of 1.3 billion units of account (the forerunner of the euro) was to be established for a trial period of three years starting in 1975.
In allocating resources, priority will be given to the neediest member countries - Italy, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
In 1975 the poorest areas of the EEC were southern Italy, most of Ireland, western and south-western France, northern Holland, parts of West Germany along the (then) eastern border, and large parts of the United Kingdom, particularly Wales and Scotland.
The fund was targeted at the most disadvantaged Member States and the resources divided accordingly: Belgium, 1.5 %; Denmark, 1.3 %; France, 15 %; Ireland, 6 %; Italy, 40 %; Luxembourg, 0.1 %; the Netherlands, 1.7 %; Germany, 6.4 %; the United Kingdom 28 %.
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