Colm Downey Assistant Principal URBACT 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)

WHAT IS URBACT? 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 networking By learning from one another’s experiences & from the experts By drawing lessons By 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

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 Objectives Research, technological development and innovation (TO1) Access to, use and quality of ICT (TO2) Competitiveness of SMEs (TO3) Shift towards a low carbon economy in all sectors (TO4) Climate change adaptation, risk prevention & management (TO5) Environment & resource efficiency (TO6) Sustainable transport & bottlenecks in key network infrastructures (TO7) Employment and labour mobility (TO8) Social inclusion & combating poverty (TO9) Education, skills & lifelong learning (TO10) Thematic concentration 70% networking resources to be allocated to TO 1-4-6-8-9 Integrated approach N/works select 1 main TO & can explore contributions to other TO 6

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: 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

A limited number of partners 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 20

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

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 Browse the partner market place at: http://urbact.eu/projects Add a project idea at: http://urbact.eu/node/add/p roject-idea To make the bridge between URBACT II and III To present the results of URBACT II To allow space and time for partner networking To anchor the Festival in the City of Riga www.cityfestival.urbact.eu Title of presentation I Tuesday 26 22

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.) 23

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 24

1st CALL FOR ACTION-PLANNING NETWORKS A 2-stage process Calendar 25

!!! !!! Call for Proposals Submission First proposal Eligibility check & Assessment Approval by MC & funding 6-month to develop Final proposal Submission of Final proposal 24 month to implement network activities and deliver Call for Proposals 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/projects Add 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 Ireland Department of Environment, Community & Local Government Colm Downey (colm.downey@environ.ie)