LDnet | New EU urban policy

What has changed in the policy for urban development?

The proposals highlight the important contribution of cities to Europe’s growth and employment. The objective is to focus on sustainable urban development, with the Commission proposing that each Member State earmark a minimum 5% of its ERDF allocation to “integrated actions”. These actions would combine investment from different priorities and programmes, and would be delegated to cities for management. An urban development platform, building on the experience of URBACT, will be created to promote capacity building and exchange of experience within the EU.

Finally, the Commission proposes to allocate part of the budget (0.2% of the ERDF allocation) to finance innovative actions in urban areas. Better coordination between fixed and human capital investments in cities will also be promoted.

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