For 20 years, the URBACT program has been supporting cities and municipalities across Europe to solve problems in local communities and contribute to a better quality of life for their citizens through the exchange of knowledge and experience. So far, more than 1000 European cities have benefited from the support of this program and established cooperation within over 150 networks. Starting this year, the European Union, on the initiative of the Ministry of European Integration, provided funds for Serbia's participation in this program. This enabled our cities and municipalities to improve their urban development policies through projects financed by the URBACT program and improve the participation of citizens in the processes of planning and implementing those policies.

URBACT facilitates the exchange of knowledge and good practice between cities and other levels of government. The purpose is to promote integrated sustainable development in cities, improve city policy and improve the efficiency of cohesion policy in cities.

The URBACT IV program area covers EU member states (27), Norway, Switzerland, IPA countries: Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and other countries - at their own expense.

The new regulatory framework for the period 2021 - 2027 is determined by the Cohesion Policy regulations. These regulations offer a range of support to European cities to address disparities across the EU. The emphasis on sustainable urban development and territorial and local development strategies within this new framework is demonstrated by a set of cohesion policy instruments made available to support cities in designing and implementing their urban policies.

New frame:

• includes five key policy objectives, all of which are relevant to EU cities. Special attention will be paid to PO5 "Europe closer to citizens by encouraging sustainable and integrated development of all types of territories and local initiatives".
• states that the Member State should use integrated territorial investment, community-led local development or other territorial tools designed by the Member State where it supports integrated territorial development through territorial or local development strategies.
• lists several elements that should be included in territorial strategies financed from the Cohesion Policy; defined geographical area, analysis of its development needs and potential, description of integrated approach and involvement of partners in its preparation and implementation.
• lists several elements that should be included in a community-led local development strategy.
• states that at least 8% of ERDF resources (European Regional Development Fund) per member state will be allocated for integrated territorial development focused on urban areas (sustainable urban development ). Special attention will be paid to solving environmental and climate challenges, especially the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050, using the potential of digital technologies for innovative purposes and supporting the development of functional urban areas.
• includes the creation of the European Urban Initiative. The initiative will cover all urban areas, including functional urban areas, and has two main lines of activity:
• support for innovative actions
• and support for capacity and knowledge building, impact assessments on the territory, policy development and communications.

The European Urban Initiative (EUI) will ensure appropriate coordination and complementarity with URBACT.

2.1. Priority: PA1 - Promoting integrated sustainable urban development through cooperation

2.1.1. Specific objective: To improve the institutional capacity of public authorities, especially those mandated to manage a certain territory, and stakeholders (all areas)

Intereg Specific Objective 1 (ISO 1): Better management of cooperation through strengthening the institutional capacities of public authorities and stakeholders for the implementation of urban territorial strategies. As URBACT IV will build the institutional capacities of cities needed to implement territorial strategies, it directly contributes to OP5 "A Europe closer to citizens by encouraging sustainable and integrated development of all types of territories and local initiatives".

To achieve this goal, URBACT IV has three objectives:

1) Use transnational networks to improve the capacity of European cities to:

- design and implementation of Integrated Action Plans related to common challenges of sustainable urban development,

- transfer of established good urban practice,

- creation of investment plans for replicating elements of urban innovative actions.

2) Improve the capacities of urban actors to design and implement sustainable urban development policies, practices and innovations in an integrated, participatory and place-based manner.

3) Ensure that the knowledge and practice of URBACT is available to urban practitioners and policy makers to be involved in local, regional, national and European urban policies, especially through the European Urban Initiative; and contribution to the Urban Agenda for the EU.

Program Committee, Working Group and National Points

URBACT IV was jointly designed by the Program Committee. All member states and partners of URBACT III are present in the Program Committee (PC). PC members are mainly national or regional authorities, but also consist of European organizations representing cities such as Eurocity and CEMR, and European institutions such as the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions. The PC meetings were prepared by the Working Group (WG). The members of the Working Group were the European Commission, the Governing Body and the Joint Secretariat of URBACT and the Member States that presided over the Council during the program period. The national URBACT points were used to promote the URBACT IV research among national actors and their comments and suggestions regarding the definition of goals and actions for URBACT IV were collected.

Specific tasks for the preparation of the Partnership Cooperation Program

1. Analysis and identification of needs
2. Defining goals, priorities, actions and indicators

• Allocation of funds

1. Consultations at the European level

After the adoption of the program budget, the PC decides on the structure of the program budget and indicates the amounts of funding that will be allocated to each type of activity.

Monitoring Committee

A monitoring committee will be established to ensure clear and transparent arrangements for program management. It will consist of representatives of the Commission, member states, partner states, IPA countries, the Committee of the Regions and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions.

Urban dimension of regional policy and coordination with the European Urban Initiative (EUI)

In the programming period 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy will spend a significant percentage of its funding in urban areas with a dedicated percentage (at least 8% of ERDF funds) for integrated sustainable urban development with a decision-making role for urban authorities. The European Urban Initiative (EUI) will continue to specifically fund innovative actions. In addition, there will be a wide range of opportunities for financing sustainable urban development strategies. There are funds and programs under joint management (ERDF, ESF, EAFRD, EMFF, Interreg, JTF) or direct management such as Horizon or LIFE that will provide financial support to different types of activities.

Synergies with other programs

In addition to coordinating with the European Urban Initiative (EUI), URBACT IV will coordinate with other interregional cooperation programs Intereg Europe, Interact and ESPON to share its knowledge and experience in creating synergies for the following actions:

• Bilateral cooperation events (European Week of Regions and Cities, thematic events, etc.);
• Joint capitalization and expansion activities;
• Joint exhibitions, workshops, information/awareness actions on territorial development.

The program area of ​​URBACT IV includes:

• EU 27 member states
• Norway
• Switzerland
• IPA countries: Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Other countries - at own expense

Lead partner organizations can be bodies governed by public law, private non-profit institutions or international organizations.

Private for-profit companies cannot be lead partners.

This broad coverage requires a coordinated approach to the partnership principle, which should operate at several levels:

Programme level – competent national authorities / cohesion policy actors such as the European Urban Initiative (EUI), the European Commission, the European Committee of the Regions, other Intereg programs / other relevant bodies at the EU level, including networks, associations / EU bodies responsible for the application of horizontal principles.

National level – relevant national authorities with competences in the field of sustainable urban development / national representatives of universities, research centers / nationally recognized organizations of social partners / associations of cities and local authorities / nationally recognized business associations / national bodies responsible for implementation horizontal principles.

Subnational level - regional authorities / cohesion policy program management bodies / local authorities / cities / city networks and associations / bodies working in the field of sustainable urban development

The management structure of the Program ensures that activities are transparent, efficient and meet the needs of European cities.

The European Commission (Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy) oversees the Program and guarantees that the activities will continue to play a key role in EU cohesion policy. The monitoring committee, which represents EU member states and partners, the European Commission, IPA countries, the European Committee of the Regions and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, defines the strategic direction of the program and makes decisions on the activities that need to be implemented. Members of the Monitoring Committee also exchange the needs of cities, thematic priorities, program links with the European Urban Initiative and cohesion policy at the national and European level. The managing body, hosted by the French National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires), is in charge of managing the Programme. The Program's Joint Secretariat, based in Paris (FR), implements the decisions made by the Monitoring Committee. The Secretariat designs and implements activities related to the objectives of the Program.

Ministry for European Integration

Nemanjina 34, 11000 Belgrade
Phone. +381 (11) 3061-100, 3061-102, 3061-103

Email address: office@mei.gov.rs

Ivana Davidović ivana.davidovic@mei.gov.rs

You can find all relevant documents on the website:

https://urbact.eu/