URBACT is a European programme that promotes integrated and sustainable urban development through transnational city networks. It facilitates exchange and learning between cities, draws lessons from their experiences, and supports policymakers in improving urban policies. The key activities are transnational city networks of 8-12 partners that work together for 33 months, with the goal of developing local action plans. Over 50 networks involving 400 European cities have participated to date. URBACT aims to strengthen exchange and learning, build urban policy capacity, and consolidate knowledge sharing going forward.

1. URBACT
European parliament REGI Committee
23rd September 2013

2. URBACT II
 European Programme of Territorial Cooperation 2007-2013
(jointly financed by ERDF and Member States – budget 69 M€ )
 Main objective
To promote Integrated & Sustainable Urban Development
 Operational objectives
 To facilitate exchange and learning among EU cities
 To draw lessons, build knowledge based on cities' experience
(capitalization) & disseminate good practices and lessons learnt
 To support policy-makers and practitioners to improve
policies for sustainable urban development (capacity building)
 Main tool: Transnational City Networks (8-12 partners – 33 months)
 URBACT = the ETC programme dedicated to transnational
cooperation & capitalisation on urban issues
URBACT programme Tuesday 15 October 2013 I Page 2

3. Fostering the impact of the programme on
urban policies:
the « URBACT method » in transnational exchange

Sharing experience, learning, drawing lessons for
« the outside world »



A strict balance between Comp and Conv partners


Involving Managing Authorities
Action-oriented: Local Action Plans
Involving local stakeholders: URBACT Local Support
Groups
Ongoing support to networks & community of work
(experts, Secretariat)
URBACT programme Tuesday 15 October 2013 I Page 3

4. Achievements to date
Exchange and learning

More than 50 networks involving 400 European cities: Predominance of small
& medium size cities

5000 persons involved in Local support groups which have fostered the
integrated approach and participative approach.

350 Local Action Plans delivered (calls 1/2) and most of them at least partially
implemented two years after completion (call 1)
Capacity building



2 Summer Universities for URBACT Local Support Groups (2011/2013)
Pilot trainings for elected people
National Training Seminars for local stakeholders and urban practitioners
on « integrated and sustainable urban policies »
Capitalisation


Rooted in exchange and learning networks – Evidence based


4 Annual conferences
City labs on the crisis, migrant integration and on metropolitan
governance
Thematic outputs: Cities responses to the crisis 2010, URBACT results 2011,
Cities of Tomorrow - Action Today 2013
URBACT programme Tuesday 15 October 2013 I Page 4

6. … and drafting orientations for URBACT III

Strengthening exchange and learning activities through
networking for action planning and implementation of
integrated urban projects and strategies

Developing capacity-building on integrated and sustainable
urban policies (for urban practitioners, policy-makers and
decision-makers)

Reinforcing linkages with Cohesion Policy and its instruments
(Operational programmes, ITIs, CLLD, Innovative actions,
etc.)

Consolidating capitalisation and dissemination of knowledge
and expertise: stronger links with local, regional, national and
EU level key players on urban matters

7. contact@urbact.eu
www.urbact.eu