Inclusive Cities for Europe NEWS

Inclusive InclusiveCities for Cities Europe_ for Europe_NEWSNEWS

A quarterly newsletter produced by EUROCITIES: Issue 5,May 2009

From integrating cities to strengthening European diversity - In this issue EUROCITIES calls for local solutions to local challenges

Editorial...... 2 The recent INTEGRATING CITIES III Conference in Berlin on April 2 saw leading policy-makers, experts and practitioners explore what practical action local govern- Recent EU Developments.....2 ments can take to create cities of cooperation, tolerance and progressiveness. With the announcement of a City Charter on Diversity and Equality to be published next EUROCITIES Developments… 5 year, the conference concluded by encouraging cities to harness the opportunities and skills offered by their increasingly diverse populations. News from Cities...... 7 Hosted by the Senate of Berlin in cooperation with EUROCITIES and the European Commission, DG Justice, Freedom and Security, the conference saw the official launch of the new EUROCITIES’ project "Diversity and Equality in European Cities" Benchmarking and peer (DIVE). Co-financed by the European Commission, DG Justice, Freedom and Security reviewing at EUROCITIES..... 9 through the European Integration Fund, DIVE will assess the role of cities (namely Amsterdam, Berlin, Leeds, Rome and London) in promoting diversity and equality. Events/Conferences...... 10 EUROCITIES’ Secretary General, Paul Bevan, described the “Integrating Cities Proc- ess” as a successful model of dialogue between cities and European Institutions. EUROCITIES events...... 11 Referring to their unique understanding of local circumstances, cities, he said, are one step ahead of national governments in finding pragmatic and effective a pproaches to integration. This capacity stems from their ability to implement projects at the community level and gain the confidence of their citizens through practical action. Integration and immigration policies are no exception; city governments and practitioners should be directly involved in their design given that they are often responsible for their delivery. Heidi Knake-Werner, Berlin Senator for Integration, Employment and Social Affairs, reinforced this message, stressing the capacity of local governments to initiate integration policies and facilitate the accommodation of migrants. Ahmed Abou- taleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, underlined the importance of dialogue between the host society and newcomers, based on respect for and commitment to common values. Taking the notion of integration one step further, London Deputy Mayor Richard Barnes announced that his city is currently exploring the potential socio-economic benefits of an amnesty for irregular migrants. Jussi Pajunen, Mayor of Helsinki, echoed this pragmatic approach, highlighting the need for all levels of government to coordinate their work effectively.

These interventions set the tone for the second part of the conference where integration experts explored how cities could deliver on these goals. A central topic of debate was how cities, in their roles as service providers, employers and buyers of goods and services, can best promote a diversified workforce and equal opportunities through their own practices. The conference ended with the handover of an Integrating Cities ‘baton’ from Berlin Commissioner for Integration,

Günter Piening, to Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London, where the next INTEGRATING CITIES IV Conference will be held.

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS

Dear Reader,

The first months of this year saw various changes at EUROCITIES: we finished the INTI-Cities project and started the DIVE project, the EUROCITIES Network of Local Authority Observatories on Active Inclusion kicked off, the first steps towards a EUROCITIES strategy for the European Year on Combating Poverty and Exclusion in 2010 were taken, and the Social Affairs Forum elected a new Chair and Vice-Chair. In this edition, you will find further information about all of this, as well as news on the latest EU developments, and learn about how Edinburgh and Paris are striving to become inclusive cities. The feature article is dedicated to methods of knowledge transfer, specifically the benchmarking and peer reviewing that we use to support the exchange between cities in our projects. The first year of the Inclusive Cities for Europe programme finished on a high note, with the publication of reports on demographic change, economic migration and homelessness. You can find them on our website at: www.eurocities.eu . The images featured in this edition were produced by Vincen Beeckman ( [email protected] ) a Brussels based photographer, as part of a permanent exposition in the Brussels subway station Anneessens. Through photographing residents in their homes, Beeckman produced a collection of portraits that now adorn the eleven columns of the central platform of the subway station. Communicating between intimate and public realms of the city, the images appealed to us as an interesting take on the social issues we deal with in this edition. He is a member of the “BlowUp collectif” and “Recy- clart”, a non-profit association that was founded in 1997 as part of an Urban Pilot Project to redevelop the Chapelle train station in Brussels. If you are involved in art projects related to similar issues, and you would like to see your work featured in forthcoming editions, please do contact us. Finally, we would like to introduce you to a new member of the team, Rory Moody ([email protected] ). As Com- munications Officer, Rory will help us improve the quality of our reports and studies, specifically the design elements of our work. For now, we wish you some fresh spring days, and hope to see you at one of the forthcoming communication events. Your Inclusive Cities team

Recent EU Developments New European Parliament texts on social affairs Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion At its Plenary Meeting in Brussels on April 2, the European On 9 March, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Parliament adopted various texts related to social affairs. Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) of the EU and the Euro- The Parliament resolution on “ educating the children of pean Commission jointly adopted the 2009 Joint Report on migrants ”, underlines the need for the European Union and Social Protection and Social Inclusion. The report assesses Member States to increase their efforts to close the gap in the role of social policies during the current recession and educational achievements between children with a migrant provides information on the latest national strategies on background and their peers. Programmes should build on social protection and social inclusion for the period 2008- partnerships between schools and local communities, in- 2010. It presents a structured account of predominant volving parents, avoiding segregation and promoting multi- trends in social affairs and social policies across Europe, lingualism and intercultural exchange. tackling issues such as child poverty, financial exclusion The Parliament resolution on “ the right of citizens of the and health inequalities, as well as the severe exclusion Union and their family members to move and reside suffered by the most vulnerable groups, including, among freely within the territory of the Member States ” criti- others, homeless people and the Roma community. The cises several provisions in Member State legislation that joint report is accompanied by a set of 27 country profiles undermine the rights of free movement and Union citizen- assessing the social situation and strategies for each Mem- ship. It states that national administrative practices often ber State and by a comprehensive Commission services constitute significant obstacles preventing citizens from working document which provides a more detailed the- exercising such rights. The European Parliament has called matic account of challenges and policy responses. Joint on Member States to grant the right of free movement to Report: different sex spouses, registered partners, members of the http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/joint_report same household, as well as same-sex couples recognised by s_en.htm

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS a Member State. This should be irrespective of nationality and without prejudice to their non-recognition in civil law by another Member State.

The Parliament also adopted a position on the eligibility of housing related investments under ERDF , stating that in each Member State, expenditure on energy efficiency im- provements and on the use of renewable energy in existing housing shall be eligible up to an amount of 4% of the total

ERDF allocation. Member States shall define categories of eligible housing in national rules, in conformity with Article 56(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, in order to support social cohesion. In the Parliament report on " Equality of treatment between people without distinction on the basis of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation ", MEPs stress the need to fight multiple discrimination. The proposed Directive must now obtain unanimity within the Council after which Member States have three years to implement it. As early as February, the Parliament backed a Directive on sanctions of employers of irregular migrants from out- side the EU . The Directive’s purpose is to “prohibit the employment of illegally staying third-country nationals” and to this end has defined minimum standards - to be implemented by Member States - for sanctions against employers who infringe on this ruling. The sanctions range from penalty fees to exclusion from public contracts. Un- der this Directive, Member States are required to raise the Draft Committee of the Regions opinion on future of percentage of employers whose registers are subject to European Asylum system inspections and force employers to determine whether a Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Councillor Doreen Huddart is the non-EU-citizen has a valid residence permit before recruit- rapporteur for a CoR opinion on the second phase of the ing. Civil society organisations are rather sceptical about Common European Asylum System. The opinion looks at the proposed Directive. They fear that putting the burden how the EU's proposed legislation on the reception and on employers to check the residence status of their em- treatment of asylum seekers in Europe's regions will affect ployees could result in hidden discrimination against every the services and policies of local authorities and regional ‘foreign looking worker’. Pending the European Council's governments. Over the coming months, the report will be agreement with the text, Member States - except for the discussed and redrafted, before being adopted in October UK, who has opted out - will have two years to implement 2009. Councillor Huddart would like to invite all EUROCI- the Directive in their national legislation. TIES members to contribute to the debate on her CoR opin- European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu ion, particularly any views related to the impact of the proposed legislation on cities across Europe. The draft

opinion to be discussed at the next meeting of the CONST European Commission takes steps to harmonise asylum commission on 6 May 2009 can be found at: practices http://www.cor.europa.eu/COR_cms/ui/ViewDocument.as The European Commission made its first concrete proposal px?siteid=default&contentID=df9d284e-a6be-4a6b-ae80- on the European Asylum Support Office on February 18. ccfa904a6f25 The role of the new Office is to send support teams to For further information, questions and comments, please Member States that see a rapid increase in asylum seekers contact [email protected] and to provide training for government administrations that are responsible for asylum applications. The Office will also create a centralised pool of information to determine what specific factors in a person's country of origin cause them to seek asylum. The full Commission proposal is available at: http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri= COM:2009:0066:FIN:EN:PDF

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FRA-Report uncovers “severe undercount” of discrimi- bring together the collective knowledge of European inte- nation in EU’s urban areas gration practitioners. To this end, the portal offers infor- Initial results from the European Fundamental Rights mation on funding, legal and political information, a docu- Agency’s EU-MIDIS survey reveal that both discrimination mentation library and a database on integration practices and racist crimes are highly underestimated in other Euro- that was set up with the help of many EUROCITIES mem- pean data sources. The survey, by only interviewing people bers. who identify themselves as belonging to one of the biggest immigrant, national or ethnic minority groups of one of the The purpose of the European Integration Forum is to EU member states, sheds new light on the subject. Previ- reach out to civil society in the making of European inte- ous polls, including Eurobarometer, calculated shares of gration policy. According to Commission Vice President the total immigrant population, thereby under- Jacques Barrot, the Forum will demonstrate how integra- representing migrant groups in their respondent sets. tion is applied on the ground, ridding it of any technocratic influence. During the Forum’s discussions, participants The first ‘taster’ report on the EU-MIDIS survey reveals that from migrant organisations stressed their unhappiness with the Roma (aggregated over all countries where they form a current notions of integration, and their fears of further main minority group) report the highest number of inci- stigmatisation in the present economic situation. A work- dents of discrimination, and that there are twice as many shop moderated by John England, chair of the EUROCITIES Turkish migrants living in the Working Group on Migration and Integration, shed light on Netherlands who believe that the need to build a bridge be- discrimination is widespread tween civil society’s predomi- compared to those living in Aus- nantly practical perspective on tria. integration and the discourses of national and European govern- The FRA-report underlines the ments. To this end, the Forum’s need to strengthen support and goal is to strengthen the reso- information for victims of dis- nance of migrant voices in Euro- crimination, the majority of pean policy circles, essential to whom do not know where to seek which is the empowerment of help . EU-MIDIS is particularly migrant associations. interesting for EUROCITIES- members as the survey was con- ducted primarily in urban loca- The European Integration Forum tions (the list of survey areas can will consist of some 100 repre- be found in the report). After the sentatives from European and publication of the full report at national civil society and migrant the end of 2009, FRA plans to platforms and will meet twice a make the data set accessible to year. In the coming months a the public for further analyses. bureau made of up of two civil Both of EU-MIDIS’ reports on the society representatives, one Roma are available at member of the European Com- http://fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite mission and one member of the /eu-midis/index_en.htm European Economic and Social Committee will be set up to prepare the first topical session of the Forum (scheduled for November or December). Proposals for the agenda of Community building: Two new instruments for shaping this meeting include the objectives of the future EU European Integration Policy agenda on integration, the place of human rights in inte- With the launch of the European Integration Forum and the gration, the links between integration and social inclusion, European Website on Integration on April 20, the European and an evaluation of the European Integration Fund. Even Commission presented two new instruments that give fur- though many questions concerning the future role and ther shape to a European approach to the integration of membership of the European Integration Forum remain immigrants. The European Website on Integration open, EUROCITIES could play a part in the Forum’s devel- www.integration.eu was developed by the Commission with opment, potentially as an external expert. An official re- the ambition to create a “one-stop-shop” on integration in port on the Forum meeting will soon be available at: Europe. Produced by a consortium of partners including www.integration.eu EUROCITIES and the Migration policy Group, the site will

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS

EUROCITIES Developments

New EUROCITIES Study on Economic Migration with toolkit and policy recommendations The EUROCITIES Study “Cities and economic migration – Challenges and local policy responses” has been published. The work is a co-production of the Brussels Office and 19 EUROCITIES members, the working groups Migration and Integration (SAF) and Economic Migration (EDF). Given the current economic recession, the implications and opportunities of migration for cities are increasingly significant. To paraphrase the words of John England (chair of the Work- ing Group on Migration and Integration), economic down- turn should not prevent cities from improving their capacity to accommodate newcomers, not least because the immigration cycle can, and often does, run counter to a country's economic strength. The report reconstructs the political and legal framework for economic migration, analyses migration trends in European cities, identifies the main challenges cities face and presents a good practice toolkit for the management of economic migration in cities. The main recommendation calls for greater political The city of Birmingham, represented by Paul Tilsley, Dep- support for cities from their national governments and uty Leader of the City Council, is the new Forum Vice- European Institutions in order to improve the social inclu- Chair. At the Forum meeting in Rotterdam on 2-3 March, sion of migrants and to better manage economic migration the new Chairs paid tribute to the work of Rotterdam and at the local level. The study is available to download at: Newcastle, the outgoing Chair and Vice-Chair. They high- http://www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=Economic lighted the importance of social policies and the Forum’s _migration_FINAL-RMOO.pdf political work in the context of the current financial crisis. Among other priorities, they also announced intentions to Printed copies can be ordered from strengthen the Forum’s work on employment issues and [email protected] poverty. New boost to Social Affairs Forum’s activities in the field EUROCITIES Studies on Demographic Change published of employment policies To inform EUROCITIES work on demographic change, a se- At its last meeting in March, the Steering Group of the So- ries of studies was commissioned last year that examine cial Affairs Forum decided to give a new boost to the Fo- the impact of demographic change on key areas of urban rum’s activities in the field of employment. To that end, a development: urban mobility and public space, housing, meeting is scheduled on June 4-5 in Genoa to discuss pri- and social and health services. Now published, the studies orities, activities and a mandate for the relaunch of the outline the main demographic trends across Europe with WG Employment. All members of EUROCITIES Social Affairs case studies from various cities and the projects and Forum and Economic Development Forum are invited to strategies they have implemented to deal with the myriad this event. challenges related to population change. The studies are More information: Simon Guentner, EUROCITIES Senior Pol- available at: www.eurocities.eu icy Officer Social Affairs: [email protected]

Stockholm and Birmingham: new leaders of EUROCITIES’ Combating health inequalities, improving well-being - Social Affairs Forum EUROCITIES response to the EU’s Consultation on health The city of Stockholm, represented by Ulf Kristersson, Vice policies Mayor of Stockholm for Employment and Welfare, is the Health inequalities both within and between EU Member new Chair of EUROCITIES’ Social Affairs Forum (SAF). A States are on the rise. Local governments have a key role long-standing member of the SAF, Stockholm is also a to play in reversing this development, not least because of member of EUROCITIES’ Executive Committee, and will their importance in both promoting well-being and deliver- host this year's annual conference. ing services to improve the health of their citizens. Given that the root causes of health inequalities range from

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS socio-economic factors to environmental conditions, causa- amples from the 23 visits and two sets of recommendation is often difficult, if not impossible to determine. This tions, directed at city governments and at the European problem is particularly acute for cities as these factors Commission. Amongst the recommendations to cities are tend to accumulate in urban areas, creating pockets of the need to recognise that an intercultural policy requires health deprivation. cross-sectoral cooperation and the importance of promot- The EUROCITIES response to the European Commission’s ing workforce diversity and supporting intercultural activi- consultation on EU action to reduce health inequalities ties through collaboration with art institutions and civil stresses the need to combat these disparities in a targeted society. EUROCITIES urges the European Commission to: manner and outlines the scope for coordinated action at EU implement a long-term strategy to promote intercultural level. Drawing on a comprehensive understanding of how dialogue by building on the momentum gained from the these issues affect our members, EUROCITIES believes that 2008 European Year and mainstream intercultural dialogue exchange programmes which involve practitioners and ser- across all relevant EU policies and programmes, and vice users at local level are paramount. They can and strengthen its application in the European Capitals of Cul- should play a key role in informing policy development and ture. The publication, including the full set of recommen- their implementation is essential in the fight against health dations, can be downloaded at: inequality. The European Commission Website on Public http://www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=Intercult Health: ural cities light.pdf http://ec.europa.eu/health/index_en.htm The EUROCITIES response can be downloaded from: Launch of EUROCITIES Network of Local Authority Obser- http://www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=EUROCITI vatories on Active Inclusion ES_Response_Health-SGUE.pdf In March, EUROCITIES launched a new network which is set to significantly boost the position and visibility of cities in EU social policy development. The ‘EUROCITIES Network of Local Authorities’ Observatories on Active Inclusion’ (NLAO), established with member cities Bologna, Prague, Rotterdam, Southampton and Stockholm, aims to give cities a greater role in the social Open Method of Coordina- tion. With the support of European Commission funding, the five cities have set up observatories to monitor the implementation of social policies that aim to improve the “active inclusion of people excluded from the labour market” and identify good practices. Particular emphasis will be put on governance arrangements, commissioning and procurement practice, and provisions for quality management in a range of social service areas, such as employment and training, and social and supported housing. Each observatory will engage with NGOs, the research community and public bodies at national level. EUROCITIES will coordinate this work and produce comparative reports. The EUROCITIES-NLAO will run as a pilot initiative until mid 2010 after which its potential for roll-out across a wider range of cities will be explored. Contact: Anke Thiel, EUROCITIES Project Coordinaor NLAO [email protected]

A city-to-city mission for intercultural dialogue At the final conference of the Intercultural Cit- Towards EUROCITIES activities in the EU 2010 Year on ies programme in Amsterdam on 5 March, Combating Poverty and Exclusion the publication ‘Intercultural Cities: a journey through 23 European cities’ was presented to the public and the Euro- A core group of cities is currently drawing up a framework pean Commission. Drawing on the city-to-city exchanges for EUROCITIES activities in 2010, the European Year on during the EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008, Combating Poverty and Exclusion. The activities will pursue the publication highlights the important role of local level two objectives: first, raising awareness for the multiple action in achieving intercultural dialogue. It includes ex- (often hidden) dimensions of social exclusion, and second,

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS promoting innovative solutions to tackle these issues at the Reader Questionnaire on Inclusive Cities for Europe local level. A database with key facts and good practices is Newsletter being developed, which will serve as a reference point in Given that this is the fifth edition of the Inclusive Cities for further refining the strategy. All EUROCITIES members are Europe newsletter, we feel it’s time to take stock and get welcome to participate in the next group meeting on May your feedback on the quality of our work. All of our readers 20 in Brno. are invited to complete a questionnaire (it will only take Contact: Anna Drozd, EUROCITIES Programme Officer Social five minutes of your time) by following this link: Inclusion: [email protected] http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=WKgbW6h4I3dD 1P8KSdqYqQ_3d_3d

News from Cities The Road to independence: An integrated approach to prehensive assessment. This leads to discussions and deci- tackling drug addiction in Edinburgh sions about the community resources available which would best meet the client's needs to help them move on from In Scotland, almost 1 in 50 of the population aged between drugs. 15 and 54 are currently struggling with drug dependency. Life may seem bleak to someone caught in the cycle of Inter-agency working drug dependency, but a variety of agencies across Scotland The DRT’s work involves constant communication with offer a ray of hope. In May 2008, the Scottish Government other agencies on behalf of the service user, particularly if launched a new national drug strategy. The Road to Recov- they have children. In these cases, DRT staff liaise with ery takes a new approach to tackling the problem, offering Children and Families social workers, as well as the Health a framework for prevention, education, enforcement and department, both to optimise support to the service user the protection of children. The main emphasis, however, is and to ensure the welfare and protection of vulnerable individuals and children. on recovery. Edinburgh City Council’s Drug Referral Team (DRT) is one such agency that welcomes the progressive Closing the case nature of the new strategy. Each case the DRT handles is reviewed on a six-weekly ba- The Drug Referral Team sis and then re-reviewed three months after the case is closed. The nature of drug dependency inevitably means The Drug Referral Team is an adult social care service pro- that service users can often relapse but for those who vided by six social workers, bringing together a variety of don’t succeed first time, a service user is welcome to then skills and training, and extensive knowledge of a wide seek re-referral to the DRT. The resounding success of the range of resources in Edinburgh, which can help an individ- DRT has led to the creation of a similar team to tackle ual to achieve recovery. Fundamental to the work of the homelessness in the Scottish capital. The road to recovery team is their emphasis on and understanding of recovery. is often a long one. But as the recent strategy clearly What is recovery? states, there is no right or wrong way to recover – the ulti- Recovery is a process which enables a drug-dependent per- mate goal is recovery itself rather than the means by which son move towards a drug-free life as an active member of it is achieved. society. The strategy is based upon a person-centred ap- Contact: [email protected] proach, offering support that is designed to address the individual needs of the person rather than just the addiction itself. It puts the emphasis on community-based services which can help the service user to develop new skills Microcredit in Paris: Urban capital with a moral face and forge new relationships, thus increasing their confidence and helping them achieve personal practical goals. On 8 October 2008, the Mayor of Paris, launched ‘Le Micro- How does it work? crédit Personnel: le mini-prêt qui vous aide a rebondir’ Referrals to DRT tend to come from Primary Care, espe- (the small loan which helps you bounce back) at the 18 th cially methadone prescribing doctors and Community Men- arrondissement’s City Hall. The personal microcredit initia- tal Health Nurses who can identify people willing and able tive (based on a successful pilot carried out in Angers) is to begin the process of recovery. The DRT operates with a intended to help individuals who do not qualify for access short-term framework of 16 weeks involvement with the to conventional bank loans because they lack a steady a client, beginning with a visit to the user’s home for a com- job and a verifiable credit history.

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS

With an estimated 1 million residents in such circum- plication is submitted, its award is subject to a review by stances, Le Microcrédit Personnel is their lifeline to what the council’s credit committee. The loan amount ranges many people would take for granted. from €300 to €3,000 (up to €5,000 for exceptional cases) For example, a loan can help fund a job search or reduce for a period of 6 months to 2 years. After the loan has been the cost of doing an apprenticeship. It allows recipients to fully repaid, the recipient pays half of the interest on the pay for basic living essentials such as a heater or even cope loan (equivalent to 2%) to the City of Paris. with the financial implications of a family event (divorce, Who is responsible for the programme? death). The programme can also help, for instance, small The Mayor’s office oversees the management and implemen- business managers rejuvenate their enterprise. tation of the programme. The local councils are in charge of Similar to credit unions in the UK, Germany and the training social workers so that they can identify and inform Netherlands, the power of Le Microcrédit Personnel lies in potential applicants about the benefits of microcredit. its capacity to strengthen communities through financial Consolidating this working structure are four partner asso- education. The difference between these two credit ciations (CRESUS Paris, Habitat and Humanisme, le PLIE structures is a question of ownership: members of credit 18/19 et l’UDAF 75) that participate in all stages of the unions both benefit from and own the credit, and therefore microcredit cycle: from identifying recipients and helping have a say in how the lending process is managed whereas them complete an application to the administration of the Le Microcredit Personnel is financed by four banks (la Ban- loans and their follow up, until the final stage when the loan que Postale, Caisse d’Epargne, le Credit Cooperatif and is reimbursed. Their expertise (e.g. Cresus is an association Laser Cofinoga) in partnership with the city of Paris. made up of retirees from the banking sector) is integral to How does it work? the holistic vision of the initiative. Individuals can contact their local council directly or With a mandate from the Mayor, the Crédit municipal de downloaded a microcredit application at Paris will soon roll out the programme across the whole city. http://www.microcredit-municipal.fr . There is also a di- Above all, Le Microcrédit Personnel brings Parisians an op- rect line at the Crédit municipal de Paris: 01 446 16555. portunity to be autonomous and improve their lives for the Applicants can receive help in completing the dossier from better. their social worker or a partner organisation. Once the ap- Contact: Omar Emziane: [email protected]

PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/010: Restructuring, Well-Being at work and financial participation The aim of this call is to develop and support the exchange of information and learning with regard to health and well-being at work, particularly during restructuring processes. The deadlines for applications are: 18.05.09 and 01.09.09. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/007: Innovative Projects for Worker Mobility in the EU Part of the European Job Mobility Action Plan, this call will fund projects to facilitate professional mobility. All proposals should contribute to the implementation of the European employment strategy and corresponding national policies. The deadline for applications is 09.06.2009. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en&callId=204&furtherCalls=yes Call for Proposals EACEA/05/09 – Youth in Action Programme – Action 3.2 – Youth in the world The objectives of this call for proposals are, among others, to improve the mobility of young people and youth workers; to promote youth empowerment and active participation; to foster capacity-building for youth organisations and structures in order to contribute to civil society development. The deadline for applications is 01.06.09 See: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/calls-for-proposals/call98_en.htm EU Health Programme Call for Proposals This call will fund projects to contribute to the objectives of The EU Health Programme 2008-13, namely: improve citizen’s health security and promote health. The deadline for applications is 20.05.09. http://ec.europa.eu/eahc/health/projects.html Tender VT/2009/008: Study on Social Services of General Interest The aim of this contract is to do a study on the organisation of SSGI in four sectors: long-term care, employment services, childcare and social housing and describe the services provided as well as the type of relationships between the service providers and the public authorities that organise and finance SSGI. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en Tender No: VT/2009/013 : Study on the use of age, disability, sex, religion or belief, race or ethnic origin and sexual orientation in financial services, in particular in the insurance and banking sectors The study will identify current practices of financial services providers with regard to the use of age, disability, sex, race/ethnic origin, religion/belief and sexual orientation in the supply and design of financial products. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS

Benchmarking and peer-reviewing at EUROCITIES – a systematic look at local integration governance Improving the exchange of knowledge and understanding were presented to each host city by the leader of each peer between local practitioners and experts is at the heart of review team, often sparking lively discussion. The main out- EUROCITIES’ mission. Learning from one another does not, comes of INTI-cities are these city reports and the INTI-cities however, come by itself; it requires careful facilitation and, synthesis report, which presents general findings (including above all, reflection about the application of working meth- the revised benchmark and a guide to benchmarking and ods, specifically their use in measuring and evaluating how peer-reviewing integration governance). Although the pro- learning develops. To this end, EUROCITIES has developed a ject ended only a few months ago, some of the peers’ rec- benchmarking and peer reviewing approach, which was first ommendations have already been implemented: in Helsinki, tested in the project “INTI-CITIES – Benchmarking local inte- the cross-departmental nature of integration work was gration governance”. strengthened through a better allocation of resources; in The project saw teams of six local Malmö, the new plan on integration will be drafted with a integration experts visit six cities stronger involvement of (Düsseldorf, Genova, Helsinki, Lyon, stakeholders, and in Genoa, the Malmö, Rotterdam) to gain a close role of the consultative committee look at the set-up and delivery of on integration was strengthened. local integration policy. This raised some pressing questions about their From INTI-Cities to DIVE policy responses: At EUROCITIES, the results of the - Does your city have an INTI-Cities project and the integration strategy based on a experience of its members trig- needs assessment and drafted gered a critical review of the in collaboration with migrant benchmarking and peer review associations? method, and its applicability for - Do you gather pertinent data to the new DIVE (Diversity and understand why some policies Equality in European Cities) pro- work and others do not? ject. In terms of methodology, key - Are there opportunities for lessons from the INTI-Cities project migrants to pursue intensive language courses and ac- are the need to simplify the scope of the indicators and to quire new skills? gain a deeper involvement of the peers in the initial development of the benchmark. To this end, the new DIVE project These and many more questions helped the peers to measure will organise peer reviews to look at how cites can their city’s performance against a set of benchmarks. The strengthen diversity and equality through their roles as pol- project praised successful approaches, but also pointed to icy makers, service providers, employers and buyers of goods gaps in the delivery of policy. It stimulated improvement and and services. Cities under review are Amsterdam, Berlin, mutual learning by setting an ambitious target: no municipal- Leeds and Rome. The Greater London Authority is also in- ity would meet all of the benchmark’s criteria. These stan- volved as a city partner, and MPG and ethics etc. will again dards were then applied to the “Peer Review” method that facilitate the evaluation process. The research findings will included several steps. First, the host cities drafted an ex- form the basis of a Cities Charter on Diversity and Equality. tensive self-evaluation in which they compared themselves to the benchmark criteria. These self-evaluations were then In addition to the new project, EUROCITIES has started to checked by the peers who, prior to a four-day visit, formu- develop a toolkit for transnational learning that includes lated hypotheses on the city’s performance. Second, the guidance on peer reviewing and facilitating meaningful ex- peers from the other cities – acting as “critical friends” - change visits. It will soon be available to all EUROCITIES’ identified potential gaps, issues to clarify and good practice. Working Groups and is expected to be ready for use in au- During their review visit, around 20 interviews were con- tumn this year. For info on benchmarking integration govern- ducted with experts on the local integration policy, including ance at EUROCITIES: [email protected] . For infor- NGOs and partner organisations, academics and service pro- mation on the project DIVE: [email protected] viders, officers and politicians. Based on the visit, a city The final report of the INTI-Cities report can be downloaded evaluation report was produced that included recommenda- from http://www.inticities.eu tions for the host city. A few months later, the city-reports

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS

Events/Conferences

Social Polis Stakeholder Conference 11 – 12 May 2009 Vienna, Austria

SOCIAL POLIS (the Social Platform on Cities and Social Cohesion) is an EU project funded under the 7th Framework Programme, the aim of which is to draw upon the experience and knowledge of urban practitioners and researchers who work on strengthening cohesion, integration, and inclusion in European cities. This conference will bring together stakeholders from all sectors to discuss research, policy and practice issues related to social cohesion in urban areas. For more information, see: http://www.socialpolis.eu

Amsterdam, Nether- TIES: The Integration of the European Second Generation 11 – 13 May lands

The TIES Stakeholders Conference will bring together representatives and experts from the fifteen cities involved in the project to identify structural differences between countries and cities, and their role in shaping educational careers and prospects of second generation young adults. For more info, see: http://www.tiesproject.eu/content/view/256/67/lang,en/

Trans-Atlantic Conference: “Welfare-to-Work”: Crisis proof?! 14 - 15 May 2009 Rotterdam,Netherlands

This conference, an initiative of the City of Rotterdam, will look at how welfare-to-work solutions in Europe, the USA and New Zealand are helping to combat the financial crisis. Key-note speakers include Mr. Robert Doar, Commissioner of Human Re- source Administration of the City of New York and Dr. Herwig Immervoll, Head of Employment oriented Social Policies of the OECD. For more info, see: http://www.welfare-to-work.nl/

The impact of the economic crisis on tackling homelessness at 28 May 2009 Brussels, Belgium local level

Organised by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA), the theme of the semi- nar will be about bridging the gap between EU ambitions on homelessness and local realities, with a focus on the impact of the economic crisis on tackling homelessness at local level. For more information, see: http://www.feantsa.org/code/en/hp.asp

The European Anti-Poverty Network: Getting Progress on an EU 29 May 2009 Brussels without poverty and social exclusion?

There will be five thematic workshops (integrated poverty instruments; adequate minimum income and quality services; labour market inclusion; better governance and participation and fairer distribution of wealth) that will assess the effectiveness of national strategies and instruments and present examples from different Member States. Speakers include Mr. Aurelio Rodguez, president of the Social Protection Committee. For more info, see: http://www.eapn.eu

Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 11 – 12 June 2009 Budapest, Hungary

Organised by the by the European Commission together with the Ministry of Social Affairs of Hungary, this conference aims to highlight the need for enhanced cooperation with the different actors in the field of social policies, agricultural development, regional policy and statistics to fight poverty and social exclusion in rural areas. For more information, see: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=88&langId=en&eventsId=158&furtherEvents=yes

Amsterdam, Nether- Integrating Policies against Child Poverty 15- 16 June 2009 lands

Hosted by the European Cities Against Child Poverty Network, this event falls within the framework of a two-year project designed to address the root causes of child poverty in our cities through the sharing of practical experience. For more information, see: http://www.againstchildpoverty.com/newsandevents.php

The European Social Services Conference: Quality and Perform- 22 – 24 June 2009 Prague, Czech Republic ance in social services in Europe – better outcomes for people

Organised by the European Social Network (ESN), this conference will offer networking opportunities to all those responsible for planning and implementing social services across Europe, including planners, politicians, managers and professionals. For more information, see: http://www.esn-eu.org/prague/eng/index.html

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS

Employment Week: Europe’s Labour Market - ensuring growth 24 – 25 June Brussels through human capital

This conference will focus on skills development and evaluate how the European labour market is responding to the current economic situation. Among other topics, workshop sessions will examine lifelong learning and the green economy. Speakers include Barbro Colqvist, Senior Economic Adviser, Swedish Ministry of Employment and John Monks, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation. For more info, see: http://www.employmentweek.com/cms.php

EUROCITIES events

Joint EUROCITIES Working Group Social Inclusion and EUROCI- 18-19 May 2009 Brno, Czech Republic TIES Working Group Housing meeting

At the meeting in Brno, both Working Groups will spend one day on their respective ongoing business. For WG Social Inclusion this is mainly about developing a database on local inclusion strategies, the WG Housing will finalise its report on affordable housing. On the second day, both groups will visit projects in Brno that aim at supporting the social inclusion of the local Roma community. EUROCITIES preparation meeting for the 2010 European Year on 20 May 2009 Brno, Czech Republic Combating Poverty and Exclusion

Members of EUROCITIES are invited to participate in this event, which aims at further developing EUROCITIES activities to be carried out in the framework of the 2010 thematic year. For information, please contact Anna Drozd, [email protected]

The Hague, Nether- EUROCITIES Working Group on Urban Security 4-5 June 2009 lands

The focus of this workshop will be youth crime.

EUROCITIES Working Group on Employment 4-5 June 2009 Genoa, Italy

The meeting aims at giving a new boost to EUROCITIES activities in the area of employment policies. Points for discussion are current developments at EU level, possibilities for EUROCITIES to act, and the mandate for a relaunched WG Employment.

EUROCITIES Working Group on Homelessness 30 Sep – 2 Oct 2009 Barcelona, Spain

The group will discuss the updated report on city strategies against homelessness and visit projects in Barcelona.

Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS Editors EUROCITIES is published by EUROCITIES’ Brussels Office. Simon Guentner 1 Square de Meeûs Anna Drozd B-1000 Brussels © EUROCITIES 2008 Dirk Gebhard Tel: +32 2 552 0888 Rory Moody Fax: +32 2 552 0889 Please send any contributions e-mail: [email protected] or comments to: [email protected] www.eurocities.eu

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS

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Inclusive InclusiveCities for Cities Europe_ for Europe_NEWSNEWS

A quarterly newsletter produced by EUROCITIES: Issue 5,May 2009

From integrating cities to strengthening European diversity - In this issue EUROCITIES calls for local solutions to local challenges

Editorial...... 2 The recent INTEGRATING CITIES III Conference in Berlin on April 2 saw leading policy-makers, experts and practitioners explore what practical action local govern- Recent EU Developments.....2 ments can take to create cities of cooperation, tolerance and progressiveness. With the announcement of a City Charter on Diversity and Equality to be published next EUROCITIES Developments… 5 year, the conference concluded by encouraging cities to harness the opportunities and skills offered by their increasingly diverse populations. News from Cities...... 7 Hosted by the Senate of Berlin in cooperation with EUROCITIES and the European Commission, DG Justice, Freedom and Security, the conference saw the official launch of the new EUROCITIES’ project "Diversity and Equality in European Cities" Benchmarking and peer (DIVE). Co-financed by the European Commission, DG Justice, Freedom and Security reviewing at EUROCITIES..... 8 through the European Integration Fund, DIVE will assess the role of cities (namely Amsterdam, Berlin, Leeds, Rome and London) in promoting diversity and equality. Events/Conferences...... 10 EUROCITIES’ Secretary General, Paul Bevan, described the “Integrating Cities Proc- ess” as a successful model of dialogue between cities and European Institutions. EUROCITIES events...... 11 Referring to their unique understanding of local circumstances, cities, he said, are one step ahead of national governments in finding pragmatic and effective a pproaches to integration. This capacity stems from their ability to implement projects at the community level and gain the confidence of their citizens through practical action. Integration and immigration policies are no exception; city governments and practitioners should be directly involved in their design given that they are often responsible for their delivery. Heidi Knake-Werner, Berlin Senator for Integration, Employment and Social Affairs, reinforced this message, stressing the capacity of local governments to initiate integration policies and facilitate the accommodation of migrants. Ahmed Abou- taleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, underlined the importance of dialogue between the host society and newcomers, based on respect for and commitment to common values. Taking the notion of integration one step further, London Deputy Mayor Richard Barnes announced that his city is currently exploring the potential socio-economic benefits of an amnesty for irregular migrants. Jussi Pajunen, Mayor of Helsinki, echoed this pragmatic approach, highlighting the need for all levels of government to coordinate their work effectively.

Günter Piening, to Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London, where the next INTEGRATING CITIES IV Conference will be held.

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_NEWS

Dear Reader,

The first months of this year saw various changes at EUROCITIES: we finished the INTI-Cities project and started the DIVE project, the EUROCITIES Network of Local Authority Observatories on Active Inclusion kicked off, the first steps towards a EUROCITIES strategy for the European Year on Combating Poverty and Exclusion in 2010 were taken, and the Social Affairs Forum elected a new Chair and Vice-Chair. In this edition, you will find further information about all of this, as well as news on the latest EU developments, and learn about how Edinburgh and Paris are striving to become inclusive cities. The feature article is dedicated to methods of knowledge transfer, specifically the benchmarking and peer reviewing that we use to support the exchange between cities in our projects. The first year of the Inclusive Cities for Europe programme finished on a high note, with the publication of reports on demographic change, economic migration and homelessness. You can find them on our website at: www.eurocities.eu. The images featured in this edition were produced by Vincen Beeckman ([email protected]) a Brussels based photographer, as part of a permanent exposition in the Brussels subway station Anneessens. Through photographing residents in their homes, Beeckman produced a collection of portraits that now adorn the eleven columns of the central platform of the subway station. Communicating between intimate and public realms of the city, the images appealed to us as an interesting take on the social issues we deal with in this edition. He is a member of the “BlowUp collectif” and “Recy- clart”, a non-profit association that was founded in 1997 as part of an Urban Pilot Project to redevelop the Chapelle train station in Brussels. If you are involved in art projects related to similar issues, and you would like to see your work featured in forthcoming editions, please do contact us. Finally, we would like to introduce you to a new member of the team, Rory Moody ([email protected]). As Com- munications Officer, Rory will help us improve the quality of our reports and studies, specifically the design elements of our work. For now, we wish you some fresh spring days, and hope to see you at one of the forthcoming communication events. Your Inclusive Cities team

Recent EU Developments New European Parliament texts on social affairs Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion At its Plenary Meeting in Brussels on April 2, the European On 9 March, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Parliament adopted various texts related to social affairs. Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) of the EU and the Euro- The Parliament resolution on “educating the children of pean Commission jointly adopted the 2009 Joint Report on migrants”, underlines the need for the European Union and Social Protection and Social Inclusion. The report assesses Member States to increase their efforts to close the gap in the role of social policies during the current recession and educational achievements between children with a migrant provides information on the latest national strategies on background and their peers. Programmes should build on social protection and social inclusion for the period 2008- partnerships between schools and local communities, in- 2010. It presents a structured account of predominant volving parents, avoiding segregation and promoting multi- trends in social affairs and social policies across Europe, lingualism and intercultural exchange. tackling issues such as child poverty, financial exclusion The Parliament resolution on “the right of citizens of the and health inequalities, as well as the severe exclusion Union and their family members to move and reside suffered by the most vulnerable groups, including, among freely within the territory of the Member States” criti- others, homeless people and the Roma community. The cises several provisions in Member State legislation that joint report is accompanied by a set of 27 country profiles undermine the rights of free movement and Union citizen- assessing the social situation and strategies for each Mem- ship. It states that national administrative practices often ber State and by a comprehensive Commission services constitute significant obstacles preventing citizens from working document which provides a more detailed the- exercising such rights. The European Parliament has called matic account of challenges and policy responses. Joint on Member States to grant the right of free movement to Report: different sex spouses, registered partners, members of the http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/joint_report same household, as well as same-sex couples recognised by s_en.htm

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Inclusive Cities for Europe_ NEWS a Member State. This should be irrespective of nationality and without prejudice to their non-recognition in civil law by another Member State.

The Parliament also adopted a position on the eligibility of housing related investments under ERDF, stating that in each Member State, expenditure on energy efficiency im- provements and on the use of renewable energy in existing housing shall be eligible up to an amount of 4% of the total

ERDF allocation. Member States shall define categories of eligible housing in national rules, in conformity with Article 56(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, in order to support social cohesion. In the Parliament report on "Equality of treatment between people without distinction on the basis of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation", MEPs stress the need to fight multiple discrimination. The proposed Directive must now obtain unanimity within the Council after which Member States have three years to implement it. As early as February, the Parliament backed a Directive on sanctions of employers of irregular migrants from out- side the EU. The Directive’s purpose is to “prohibit the employment of illegally staying third-country nationals” and to this end has defined minimum standards - to be implemented by Member States - for sanctions against employers who infringe on this ruling. The sanctions range from penalty fees to exclusion from public contracts. Un- der this Directive, Member States are required to raise the Draft Committee of the Regions opinion on future of percentage of employers whose registers are subject to European Asylum system inspections and force employers to determine whether a Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Councillor Doreen Huddart is the non-EU-citizen has a valid residence permit before recruit- rapporteur for a CoR opinion on the second phase of the ing. Civil society organisations are rather sceptical about Common European Asylum System. The opinion looks at the proposed Directive. They fear that putting the burden how the EU's proposed legislation on the reception and on employers to check the residence status of their em- treatment of asylum seekers in Europe's regions will affect ployees could result in hidden discrimination against every the services and policies of local authorities and regional ‘foreign looking worker’. Pending the European Council's governments. Over the coming months, the report will be agreement with the text, Member States - except for the discussed and redrafted, before being adopted in October UK, who has opted out - will have two years to implement 2009. Councillor Huddart would like to invite all EUROCI- the Directive in their national legislation. TIES members to contribute to the debate on her CoR opin- European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu ion, particularly any views related to the impact of the proposed legislation on cities across Europe. The draft

opinion to be discussed at the next meeting of the CONST European Commission takes steps to harmonise asylum commission on 6 May 2009 can be found at: practices http://www.cor.europa.eu/COR_cms/ui/ViewDocument.as The European Commission made its first concrete proposal px?siteid=default&contentID=df9d284e-a6be-4a6b-ae80- on the European Asylum Support Office on February 18. ccfa904a6f25 The role of the new Office is to send support teams to For further information, questions and comments, please Member States that see a rapid increase in asylum seekers contact [email protected] and to provide training for government administrations that are responsible for asylum applications. The Office will also create a centralised pool of information to determine what specific factors in a person's country of origin cause them to seek asylum. The full Commission proposal is available at:http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri= COM:2009:0066:FIN:EN:PDF

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EUROCITIES Developments

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With an estimated 1 million residents in such circum- plication is submitted, its award is subject to a review by stances, Le Microcrédit Personnel is their lifeline to what the council’s credit committee. The loan amount ranges many people would take for granted. from €300 to €3,000 (up to €5,000 for exceptional cases) For example, a loan can help fund a job search or reduce for a period of 6 months to 2 years. After the loan has been the cost of doing an apprenticeship. It allows recipients to fully repaid, the recipient pays half of the interest on the pay for basic living essentials such as a heater or even cope loan (equivalent to 2%) to the City of Paris. with the financial implications of a family event (divorce, Who is responsible for the programme? death). The programme can also help, for instance, small The Mayor’s office oversees the management and implemen- business managers rejuvenate their enterprise. tation of the programme. The local councils are in charge of Similar to credit unions in the UK, Germany and the training social workers so that they can identify and inform Netherlands, the power of Le Microcrédit Personnel lies in potential applicants about the benefits of microcredit. its capacity to strengthen communities through financial Consolidating this working structure are four partner asso- education. The difference between these two credit ciations (CRESUS Paris, Habitat and Humanisme, le PLIE structures is a question of ownership: members of credit 18/19 et l’UDAF 75) that participate in all stages of the unions both benefit from and own the credit, and therefore microcredit cycle: from identifying recipients and helping have a say in how the lending process is managed whereas them complete an application to the administration of the Le Microcredit Personnel is financed by four banks (la Ban- loans and their follow up, until the final stage when the loan que Postale, Caisse d’Epargne, le Credit Cooperatif and is reimbursed. Their expertise (e.g. Cresus is an association Laser Cofinoga) in partnership with the city of Paris. made up of retirees from the banking sector) is integral to How does it work? the holistic vision of the initiative. Individuals can contact their local council directly or With a mandate from the Mayor, the Crédit municipal de downloaded a microcredit application at Paris will soon roll out the programme across the whole city. http://www.microcredit-municipal.fr. There is also a di- Above all, Le Microcrédit Personnel brings Parisians an op- rect line at the Crédit municipal de Paris: 01 446 16555. portunity to be autonomous and improve their lives for the Applicants can receive help in completing the dossier from better. their social worker or a partner organisation. Once the ap- Contact: Omar Emziane: [email protected]

PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/010: Restructuring, Well-Being at work and financial participation The aim of this call is to develop and support the exchange of information and learning with regard to health and well-being at work, particularly during restructuring processes. The deadlines for applications are: 18.05.09 and 01.09.09. See:http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en PROGRESS - Call for Proposals VP/ 2009/007: Innovative Projects for Worker Mobility in the EU Part of the European Job Mobility Action Plan, this call will fund projects to facilitate professional mobility. All proposals should contribute to the implementation of the European employment strategy and corresponding national policies. The deadline for applications is 09.06.2009. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en&callId=204&furtherCalls=yes Call for Proposals EACEA/05/09 – Youth in Action Programme – Action 3.2 – Youth in the world The objectives of this call for proposals are, among others, to improve the mobility of young people and youth workers; to promote youth empowerment and active participation; to foster capacity-building for youth organisations and structures in order to contribute to civil society development. The deadline for applications is 01.06.09 See: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/calls-for-proposals/call98_en.htm EU Health Programme Call for Proposals This call will fund projects to contribute to the objectives of The EU Health Programme 2008-13, namely: improve citizen’s health security and promote health. The deadline for applications is 20.05.09. http:/ec.europa.eu/eahc/health/projects.html Tender VT/2009/008: Study on Social Services of General Interest The aim of this contract is to do a study on the organisation of SSGI in four sectors: long-term care, employment services, childcare and social housing and describe the services provided as well as the type of relationships between the service providers and the public authorities that organise and finance SSGI. See: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en Tender No: VT/2009/013 : Study on the use of age, disability, sex, religion or belief, race or ethnic origin and sexual orientation in financial services, in particular in the insurance and banking sectors The study will identify current practices of financial services providers with regard to the use of age, disability, sex, race/ethnic origin, religion/belief and sexual orientation in the supply and design of financial products. See:http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=625&langId=en