EUKN

www.eukn.org

Making cities smarter

EUKN mission & vision

Mission Statement

EUKN is the prime network for urban policy makers, practitioners and researchers throughout Europe offering high quality knowledge and services which inspire them

to make cities a better place to live, work and play.

Vision Statement

EUKN is a self-sustainable, intergovernmental knowledge network with national focal points in all EU Member States, acting as a knowledge hub for existing networks of urban

practitioners, researchers and policy-makers at all governmental levels.

History and outlook EUKN

2004 2007

Establishment under Dutch

EU Presidency

2010 2011 2014

Political support continuation

EUKN German EU Presidency

Political support continuation

EUKN Spanish EU Presidency

Establishment EUKN EGTC

Intensified cooperation EU

programmes

Why is EUKN important for cities?

EUKN shares knowledge and experience by connecting urban networks and all layers of government to make cities smarter, more sustainable and more socially inclusive

Structure EUKN

Intergovernmental network strongly anchored at national - local level

National Focal Points in each EUKN member state

Small European Secretariat in The Hague

Close liaisons with European urban programmes and networks

Products & services

European portal website with 13 national websites Urban eLibrary with good practices, research

reports, policy documents and network information News and event calendar Bi-weekly thematic newsletters Annual key publications Thematic knowledge dossiers Yearly international conference Support to EU Presidencies (studies, conferences)

In the spotlight

EUKN key publications:

EUKN thematic dossiers:

Urban views Urban development in

Europe Urban dimension of

Cohesion Policy (forthcoming)

Sustainable Urban Mobility

Integration of ethnic minorities and migrants

Demographic Change

What about the end user?

External evaluation (2009)

45% public sector organisations: both local authorities (34%) and central government (23%), mainly practitioners (27%)

23% researchers

70% of the policymakers stated that EUKN adds value to their

daily work

Examples of knowledge exchange

Integrated neighbourhood development Economic Opportunity Zones (US, UK, France, Ireland,

Netherlands) Participatory budgets in urban development (Germany,

France, Netherlands) Social cohesion: exchange on district mother projects, SMS Alert services, ASBO policies Effects of demographic change (migration and shrinking regions)

European urban challenges

An urban strategy to achieve the Europe 2020 goals: smart, productive, eco-efficient and social cohesive cities

Improve integrated urban development by using evidence based knowledge

Integrate learning in policy making

Improvement of multilevel governance in order to achieve urban goals

Especially in times of financial crisis, the exchange of knowledge and capacity building are more needed

than ever

Ambitions EUKN

Establishment EUKN EGTC (autumn 2011): innovative and unique project

To transform EUKN into a learning platform with new products and services, e.g.

Interactive website with web 2.0 tools, use of multimedia

Creation of knowledge dossiers on grand urban challenges

Round Table meetings with national networks and international experts

To participate in EU programmes and projects: adding value and providing direct benefits for EUKNs national networks /focal points

To intensify the collaboration with URBACT, URBAN-NET, the European Commission and urban networks (follow-up Portuguese paper on networks)

To launch a common search engine with URBACT

Enlargement of EUKN network

Basic principles EGTC

Objective EGTC

The EGTC is the first European cooperation structure with a legal personality defined by European Law designed to facilitate and promote territorial cooperation (cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation), in view of strengthening the economic and social cohesion of the European territory. An EGTC may carry out actions of territorial cooperation, with or without a financial contribution from the EU

Legislation

1) Regulation (EC) 1082/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council

2) Complemented by national provisions adopted by each Member State of the EU

3) EGTC is governed by the Law of the Member State where the EGTC has its registered office

Basic principles EGTC

Basis of each EGTC is formed by convention and statutes, which specify:

Members of an EGTC: Member States, regional or local authorities, any other bodies governed by public Law. An EGTC is located on the territory of at least two EU Member States.

Required basic governance structure: Assembly & Director

the name of the EGTC and its registered office (located in a Member State), territory of the EGTC, objective and tasks of the EGTC, operating provision of the EGTC's organs and their competencies, decision-making procedure of the EGTC, working language(s), arrangements for its functioning (personnel management, recruitment procedures and the members' financial contributions

Main characteristics EUKN EGTC

Unique EGTC in Europe, members EUKN EGTC are EU Member States: Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain.

Main objective EUKN EGTC:

to facilitate and promote territorial, mainly transnational cooperation aimed at strengthening the economic, social, territorial and environmental cohesion of cities. To realise this objective the EUKN EGTC stimulates the European exchange of relevant and validated urban knowledge and experiences, thereby supporting sustainable urban development.

Main characteristics EUKN EGTC

In particular, the EUKN EGTC aims to:

Enhance the sustainability of the network;

Improve the quality and added value of the EUKN EGTCs products and services;

Position the EUKN EGTC as central urban knowledge dissemination hub in Europe;

Support urban professionals through the development and implementation of specific projects which are aimed at meeting their knowledge needs. This support may make use of funding and subsidies from the European Union and other public or private sources.

Official seat EUKN EGTC located in the Netherlands

EUKN EGTC

Organs of the EUKN EGTC The Assembly;

The Director;

The Secretariat.

The National Focal Points are key element of EUKN, but fall under responsibility of individual EUKN member states

Assembly Decision-making

body

Secretariat Implementation

body

Director

NFP

NFP

NFP

Main characteristics EUKN EGTC

The EUKN EGTC will exist for an unlimited period unless the Assembly decides otherwise. Provision is made for an evaluation every three years.

The EUKN EGTC has limited liability, which means that all member states participating in the EUKN EGTC have limited liability to the extent that they are financially responsible for their financial contribution to EUKN based on their annual contribution.

In the initial phase of the EUKN EGTC, the financial commitment is based on a contribution for a period of three years (from January 2011 to December 2013).

Added value EUKN EGTC

Strengthens long-term sustainability of network Supporting intergovernmental nature EUKN Aim of EGTC closely aligned to aim EUKN Greater transparency & accountability Enables closer cooperation with EU programmes and

projects Allows generation of additional funding (EU or non-EU) Increases value EUKN membership

Establishment process

EUKN EGTC convention and statutes finalised

Approval process in individual EUKN member states (number of countries already formally approved participation in EUKN EGTC, some countries still awaiting formal procedure)

Convention & statutes send to Dutch Parliament (Netherlands is official seat EUKN EGTC)

Formal establishment expected this autumn (official publication by the Netherlands, whereby EUKN EGTC acquires legal personality)

Notification to Committee of the Regions

Currently internal organisation being set up of EUKN EGTC

International launching event EUKN EGTC end 2011/beginning 2012

Lessons learned

Liability

Taxes ( VAT/ Income)

Position national audit office

Real Europeanization?

Questions

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