© photo-libre.fr June 2016 - 18th issue NEWSLETTERhttp://urban-intergroup.eu The work of the URBAN Intergroup recognised in the Pact of Amsterdam he Pact of Amsterdam is a turn- urban dimension of EU policies. She was ing point in the EU’s history”, de- taking part to Forum on the EU Urban “Tclared Jan Olbrycht MEP (EPP, Agenda organised by the Committee of the Poland), President of the URBAN Inter- Regions. She also mentioned that the in- group, on 30 May in Amsterdam, just af- clusion of so-called “functional areas” and ter Ministers responsible for urban policy the cooperation between urban and rural adopted the EU Urban Agenda. Members territories was crucial to address complex and partners of the Intergroup are particu- challenges faced by European cities. larly satisfied with the agreed text. For Lambert van Nistelrooij MEP (EPP, years, they pledged for the recognition of Netherlands), Vice-president of the URBAN the role of European towns and cities in EU Intergroup added that the Pact was not in- legislation. troducing new regulations, “but a commit- The Pact of Amsterdam “introduces very ment from cities in Europe to contribute to concrete set of actions which will require resolving central problems, with in return partnerships in all levels of governance, direct access to the European Funds” between European, national, regional and The new approach of the Urban Agenda local authorities and other stakeholders,” for the EU includes the development of a explained Jan Olbrycht. He was especially range of European partnerships. Within proud that the work of members and part- these partnerships, the European Commis- ners of the URBAN Intergroup had been sion, Member States and European cities recognised for the first time in an intergo- will work together to ensure that the urban vernmental document. dimension is strengthened in EU policies. “We need to know who will be responsi- The partnerships will focus on the twelve ble for the implementation of the EU Urban priority themes that have been agreed on. Agenda, especially inside the European Four pilot partnerships already started with Commission,” noticed Kerstin Westphal support of the Dutch EU Presidency. MEP (S&D, Germany), rapporteur on the The EU Urban Agenda 12 prority themes. (© European Commission) 1 © URBAN Intergroup URBAN voice MEETING “Local and regional governments care for those in need” atthijs van Miltenburg MEP (ALDE, MNetherlands), shadow rapporteur on the urban dimension of EU policies, and Jan Olbrycht MEP (EPP, Poland) represented the URBAN Intergroup during the fifth EU Capitals Mayors’ Meeting which took place in Amsterdam on 20-21 April. The meet- ing gathered together 27 Mayors from the European capital cities and Corina Cretu, Commissioner responsible for Regional and Urban Policy to directly discuss the future of European cities. URBAN Intergroup Mr van Miltenburg relates the meeting: © “In April, I had the opportunity to attend the Matthijs van Miltenburg MEP (ALDE, Netherlands) said he was delighted to see the solidarity shown by the Mayors to accommodate refugees in their cities at the direct dialogue between the mayors of EU fifth EU Capitals Mayors’ Meeting, in Amsterdam. capital cities and the European Commission European values. I strongly regret that the in Amsterdam. In light of the Dutch Presi- willingness to cooperate between the cities dency and the Urban Agenda for the EU, we in the Union is so often blocked by Member discussed amongst others the challenge for States. European cities to manage the effects of the Without effective European measures and refugee crisis. commitment from the national authorities, Capital cities and other local and regional au- it will become very difficult for our cities to thorities make great efforts to provide shel- respond to this crisis in an adequate way. I ter and care for those in need. I was delight- called upon Member States to assume their ed to see the solidarity shown by the Mayors responsibilities. By closing the door to soli- to accommodate refugees in their cities. It darity, we won’t shrink the numbers of refu- is this type of solidarity that is a crucial for gees coming to Europe, we only shrink Eu- our Union and one of the most important rope and its core values.” NEW STUDY CEMR reveals the latest numbers on Europe’s towns & regions rom Sweden to Cyprus and from Portugal Fto Germany, the Council of European Mu- nicipalities and Regions (CEMR) new study gives you all the information you need on the structures and competences of towns and regions in over 40 countries in Europe. With this publication, CEMR wants to high- light the territorial diversity of European countries and strengthen mutual knowledge on how all towns, cities and regions work. The study reveals that, in recent years, the number of local entities has remained virtu- 2,479. The only notable change indicated in ally unchanged in Europe. For example, in the study is the significant fall in the number Germany, the number of towns and cities of local governments recorded in Turkey. has only very slightly fallen, from 11,481 to Publication of this study could not have been 11,313. In the Netherlands, the number has better timed after the adoption of the Pact fallen from 418 to 390, while in Poland, the of Amsterdam. CEMR believes this adoption number has remained exactly the same, at is a remarkable step towards a system of 2 © URBAN Intergroup governance in partnership which it has been that was conducted with CEMR’s member calling for. With the ink barely dry on the associations. promises contained in the Pact, it is certainly You can also take a glimpse inside the world instructive to have a detailed overview of the of Local and regional Europe by watching various components that make up the local the short video on the subject. It shows ten and regional spheres. things you (might not) know about Europe’s Available in English and French, “Local and towns and regions: Regional Governments in Europe: Structures http://bit.ly/localgov2016Video and Competences” is the outcome of a study URBAN events and meetings MIGRATION How EU towns & cities can address the refugee crisis? he URBAN Intergroup jointly with the Eu- Tropean Investment Bank (EIB) organised a conference “How Europe’s towns and cities can address the current refugee crisis?” on 6 April. In the welcoming speech, Mikołaj Dowgiele- wicz, Permanent Representative of the EIB to the EU, stressed that the EIB’s aim is to trying to help Members States and cities to handle in the most appropriate way invest- © URBAN Intergroup ments needed to respond the unprecedent- Lambert van Nistelrooij MEP (EPP, Netherlands) stressed during the discussion that mayors are at the political lead in hosting refugees all over Europe. ed refugee crisis. Jan Olbrycht MEP (EPP, Poland), President of the URBAN Intergroup, URBAN Intergroup, stressed that mayor’s stressed the need “to reflect about the cur- are at the political lead in hosting refugees. rent situation EU cities are facing, but also CEMR representative drew attention to the about the evolution of the whole migration fact that the EU institutions and Members process in the future.” He also said there is a States need coordination to better distri- need to think about the instruments to solve bute refugees in the whole territory, between immediately the most urgent problems, but big but also small and medium size Euro- also about what should be changed in the pean cities. He added that local and regional functioning of EU cities. authorities do not receive enough support when hosting refugees. A need for coordination EUROCITIES representative spoke about “a to better distribute refugees two-fold challenge of providing for the imme- diate needs of asylum seekers and refugees, The first session of the event focused on the whilst also having to organise the more long- integration of refugees from the EU institu- term integration process of all newcomers, tions’ perspective. Representatives of the Eu- essential for ensuring social cohesion over ropean Commission DG Migration and Home the years to come”. He presented the main Affairs and of DG Regional and Urban Policy points of EUROCITIES recent report on refu- presented the available instruments to tack- gees’ perception and their integration in ci- le the crisis and possibilities to use them. ties, as well as the city network statement They underlined that from the beginning of on asylum in cities. the refugee crisis, European cities showed At the end of the meeting, the representa- great generosity to welcome migrants. tive of the city of Amsterdam focused on the The aim of the second session was to present inclusion of migrants and refugees in the EU the issue of refugees’ integration from the Urban Agenda partnership. “We are just ob- European towns and cities perspective. The serving the beginning of a long-term migra- moderator Lambert van Nistelrooij MEP tion process in the European Union”, con- (EPP, Netherlands), Vice-president of the cluded Jan Olbrycht. 3 © URBAN Intergroup EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK Urban Financial Instruments to support towns & cities’ development n 14 April, the URBAN Intergroup met vate sector on a case by case basis. It can Owith Frank Lee, Head of Financial In- also be achieved on a wider basis through struments Advisory Division from the Euro- the generation of new market activity to in- pean Investment Bank, who made a presen- crease investor confidence, which enables tation on Financial instruments. certain market failure issues to be better ad- Financial instruments offer innovative means dressed. by which the public sector can help to ad- A number of different financial instrument dress some of the market failures inhibiting delivery models were developed and tested the development of towns and cities.