Colm DowneyAssistant PrincipalURBACT National Co-Ordination Unit Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

INTERREG Information Day, 11th June 2015

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IRELAND IN URBACT III

Presentation•WHAT IS URBACT? (Definition, Objectives, Activities, Thematic areas)

•WHO CAN APPLY FOR URBACT SUPPORT?•WHY SHOULD I APPLY?•IRISH ENGAGEMENT TO DATE

Additional Information•WHAT DO URBACT PARTNERSHIPS LOOK LIKE? •HOW DO I FIND A PARTNER & JOIN A NETWORK?•WHAT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE? •ARE MATCH FUNDS NEEDED?•WHAT DO I DO NEXT? (Timetable, Calls for proposals, Websites, Contacts)

URBACT is an ETC programme to foster sustainable integrated urban development in cities across Europe. It is an instrument of Cohesion Policy, co-financed by ERDF and by Member & Partner States.  It is not an investment programme, but does provide finance for transnational exchange and learning networks. 

The main aim of the programme is to enable cities and towns in different EU countries to work together and develop integrated solutions to common urban challenges. How? By networkingBy learning from one another’s experiences & from the expertsBy drawing lessonsBy identifying good practices to improve urban policies. Encouraged by the success of Irish local authority projects in the previous programme, DECLG is working on improving URBACT’s profile within our local government sector for the next programme

WHAT IS URBACT?

URBACT’s 4 main objectives

To improve the capacity of cities to manage sustainable urban policies and practices in an integrated and participative way

To improve the design of integrated urban & sustainable strategies/ action plans in cities

To improve the implementation of integrated urban & sustainable strategies/ action plans in cities

To ensure that practitioners and decision makers at all levels have access to knowledge and share know-how on all aspects of sustainable urban development.

URBACT HAS A VERY LOOSE DEFINITION OF “CITY”

URBACT IS OPEN TO APPLICATIONS FROM (VERY) SMALL TOWNS

3 MAIN STRANDS OF ACTIVITY

TRANSNATIONAL NETWORKS

3 types of networks

CAPACITY-BUILDING

Framework supporting

local stakeholders, local support groups, etc

CAPITALISATION & DISSEMINATION OF

KNOWLEDGE

Urbact has tools for practitioners to gain

access to Urbact knowledge, to share

SUD know-how, and to improve policymaking

(Tools like National Contact Points,

expertise, seminars, open universities, etc)

WHAT THEMATIC AREAS DOES URBACT PRIORITISE?

URBACT III to cover 10 Thematic Objectives1. Research, technological development and innovation (TO1)2. Access to, use and quality of ICT (TO2)3. Competitiveness of SMEs (TO3)4. Shift towards a low carbon economy in all sectors (TO4)5. Climate change adaptation, risk prevention & management (TO5)6. Environment & resource efficiency (TO6)7. Sustainable transport & bottlenecks in key network infrastructures (TO7)8. Employment and labour mobility (TO8)9. Social inclusion & combating poverty (TO9)10. Education, skills & lifelong learning (TO10)

Thematic concentration70% networking resources to be allocated to TO 1-4-6-8-9

Integrated approachN/works select 1 main TO & can explore contributions to other TO

WHO CAN APPLY FOR URBACT SUPPORT?

Main beneficiaries› Cities from EU 28 Member States, Norway & Switzerland

including: Cities, municipalities, towns without limit of size Intra-municipal tiers of government Metropolitan authorities & organised agglomerations

Other beneficiaries Local agencies

Provincial, regional and national authorities

Universities and research centers

› All beneficiaries shall be public or public equivalent bodies

WHY I SHOULD APPLY FOR URBACT III SUPPORT?

Participation in Urbact III Programme will:

a) Help you formulate (and/or implement) a plan to address a key urban challenge you are facing

b) Help you build your European networks Working in EU networks is central to most EU funding calls Urbact will provide you with expertise in addressing your urban challenge, and finance to engage with your network

c) Help you prepare derivative applications for infrastructural support from ERDF and other funds to to take your plans forward

IRISH ENGAGEMENT TO DATE - SUCCESS @ URBACT 2

Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown “Placemaking 4 Cities” was a pilot project on the transfer of good practice between 4 European Cities & connecting people in public space

Dublin City ”UseACT”, on ways to achieve opportunities for people and businesses to settle in existing locations without consumption of further land.

Kilkenny “LINKS” project on eco-restoration of historic buildings and associated socio-economic and environmental benefits

Monaghan, partner in “Woodfootprint” network.

URBACT II: Kilkenny’s Experience

Kilkenny Project

Initially 9 Partner Cities in 2009

8 completed the project cycle;

Bayonne (lead), Delft, Anderlecht, Veria, Almeria, Brasov, Budrio and Kilkenny

› Eco restoration of historic and heritage buildings

› Sustainable development of historic centres

› Participation of citizens in process of change

‘Historic Centres must evolve to exist’

› LINKS partners claim that it is possible to combine heritage and environmental issues and propose to Europe to rely on its network of historic cities to promote sustainable development; which are energy efficient and environmentally sensitive, revealing opportunities for local economies and better quality of life

URBACT provides:

› Shared space to try new ways of working

› Identify and learn from best practice

› Emphasis on co designing plans for Local Authorities, public bodies, private sector and the wider community

› Local Action Plans and ULSG’s

› Input into EU, National and local policies

Personal reflection...

› ‘URBACT is about the social Europe; the one that at times seems to have been forgotten through the crisis. In my view our City’s experience in the exchange will continue to inform policy and placemaking, collaboration, inspiration and provide new opportunities for further partnerships throughout the EU. It has also brought about new friendships between people and cities through a shared common goal of sustainable development’.

WHAT DO URBACT PARTNERSHIPS LOOK LIKE?

3 types of networks proposed

Action Planning Networks

Implementation Networks

Transfer Networks

Action-planning networks

› Main purpose

› To support cities with the design of integrated sustainable urban strategies/ action plans

› Who?

› Cities sharing common urban challenges and willing to address them by developing integrated solutions

› Expected outcomes• Integrated strategies/ action plans for sustainable urban development

• Integrated action plans on one or several policy areas (to operationalise an existing strategy)

• Learning and recommendations for EU cities

Implementation networks

› Main purpose

› To support cities with the implementation of integrated sustainable urban strategies/ action plan

› Who?

› Cities implementing integrated strategies and action plans having secured different types of funding, including cities implementing integrated urban strategies and actions under article 7 (eg ITI, CLLD)

› Expected outcomes• Enhanced implementation of integrated strategies/ action plans for

sustainable urban development (monitoring, timely delivery of actions, etc.)

• Learning and recommendations for EU cities

Transfer networks

› Main purpose

› To support cities with the transfer of good practice so as to improve the implementation of integrated sustainable urban strategies/ action plans

› Who?› Cities willing to transfer practices of integrated urban

development identified and tested in other EU cities

› Expected outcomes• Transferred good practice in receiving cities

• Enhanced good practice

• Learning and recommendations for EU cities

PARTNERSHIPS

A lead partner city

A limited number of partners 8-12 partners in Action-planning & Implement° networks 6-8 partners in Transfer networks

A majority of cities – 3 non-city partners max

Balance between partners from less developed regions and partners from more developed/ transition regions

Transnational Exchange ERDF co-financing

Co-financing from ERDF of beneficiary cities and other eligible beneficiaries for the actions implemented

Less developed and transition regions shall receive 85% ERDF contribution

More developed shall receive 70% ERDF contribution

Browse the partner market place at: http://urbact.eu/projects

Add a project idea at: http://urbact.eu/node/add/project-idea

Title of presentation I Tuesday 26

www.cityfestival.urbact.eu

HOW CAN I FIND A PARTNER AND JOIN A NETWORK?

There was a large Irish presence at the Riga festival in May.The dates and venue of the next next festival to be confirmed

WHAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE ?DO I NEED TO PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS?

Network budget = €600,000 / €750,000 euros

Budget = ERDF + local contributions from partners

Less developed & transition: 85% ERDF / More developed: 70% ERDF

Note –

Local Contributions do not necessarily need additional resource requirements

URBACT (for Ireland) operates a 70:30 ratio (URBACT to Irish Local Authority) however it should be noted that there is no cash outlay required directly by our LAs.  Staff time invested in the project is the LA contribution. LAs could introduce URBACT into their training & development plans for staff (planning & community areas).  All travel expenses related to a project involving an LA is recoupable. 

Additional envelope for expert support (up to €127,000 / network)

Ongoing support from the URBACT Secretariat (tools, methods, training, etc.)

SO WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NEXT?

End March 2015

› Call Launched - 1°call for Action-planning networks

Beginning 2016

› Launch 1°call for Transfer networks

› Launch 1° call for Implementation networks

1st CALL FOR ACTION-PLANNING NETWORKS

A 2-stage process

Calendar

Submission First proposalSubmission First proposal

Eligibility check & Assessment

Approval by MC & funding

Eligibility check & Assessment

Approval by MC & funding

6-month to develop Final proposal6-month to develop Final proposal

Submission of Final proposalSubmission of Final proposal

24 month to implement network activities and deliver

24 month to implement network activities and deliver

Call for ProposalsCall for Proposals

Eligibility check & Assessment

Approval by MC & funding

Eligibility check & Assessment

Approval by MC & funding

!!!

!!!

Initial partnership with identified

common urban challenge

Extended partnership with

complete network proposal

PROVISIONAL CALENDAR 1st CALL FOR ACTION-PLANNING NETWORKS

End March 2015: 1st call Action-planning

April- 16 June 2015: applicants preparing bids

16 June 2015: submission of proposals

July-Aug 2015: eligibility check & assessment

Sept 2015: MC approval funding 6-month preparatory phase

Mid Sept 2015- Mid March 2016: 6-month Prep Phase

Mid March 2016: submission Final Proposals

March-April 2016: eligibility check & assessment

April 2016: MC final approval funding for network

April 2016-April 2018: 24-month for network activities

Partner search facility on

URBACT website

NOTE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN PLAN

NETWORK AT STAGE 2

Key Web Sites and Contacts

Background information For URBACT III in general, visit http://urbact.eu/ Browse the partner market place at: http://urbact.eu/projectsAdd a project idea at: http://urbact.eu/node/add/project-idea

Irish Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/UrbactIreland/1583123311936134)

Irish twitter account (https://twitter.com/Urbact3Ireland)

URBACT Secretariat Twitter page at https://twitter.com/URBACT Facebook account at https://www.facebook.com/URBACT

National Contact Point for Urbact in Ireland Professor Mark Boyle (National Institute for Regional & Spatial Analysis)Caroline Creamer (International Centre for Local & Regional Development) (mark.g.boyle@nuim.ie) (caroline.creamer@nuim.ie) National Coordination Unit in IrelandDepartment of Environment, Community & Local Government Colm Downey (colm.downey@environ.ie)