Brussels, 07/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - The urban agenda should include the European investment advisory hub set up at the European Investment Bank (EIB) so that systematic use may be made of the EIB's financing instruments for towns and cities, says the Committee of the Regions (CoR) in an opinion adopted in plenary session on Thursday 7 April.
The opinion, drafted by Hella Dunger-Löper (PES, Germany), sets out concrete measures to be taken to implement the urban agenda, with the Amsterdam Pact expected to be adopted under Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU on 30 May. Dunger-Löper is of the view that the twelve priority themes set out in the current provisional version of the Amsterdam Pact (see EUROPE 11505) are not an exhaustive list. The CoR proposes to build a cultural dimension into urban development, along with new “inclusive” forms of participation, innovation and smart cities.
The CoR also proposes a lengthy list of measures for improving support for towns, cities and their “functional areas”, that is, suburban and rural areas adjacent to towns. For example, it suggests involving urban authorities in the design and implementation and testing of experimental approaches in urban settings, improving the effectiveness of funding by focusing on a results-orientated support policy for towns and cities and simplifying structural funding, and improving the links between EU funding and private investment, obtaining funding and using financial instruments for urban areas. Here, too, experimentation should be possible, says the CoR in its opinion, keen to avoid any straightjacket.
The Amsterdam Pact, launched on the initiative of the Dutch Presidency (see EUROPE 11461), will make implementation of the urban agenda binding. It is currently the centre of attention for cities and regions (see EUROPE 11497). The urban agenda seeks to improve the multi-level decision-making process. One of its pillars is devoted to the integration of migrants and refugees (see EUROPE 11525). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)