Brussels, 25/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission approved a regeneration programme for the Grigny/Viry-Chatillon region in France as part of the URBAN II Community initiative. Over 2001-2006, the programme will receive EUR 12,884 million in EU funding, while the total funding for the project will be around EUR 37 million. In the Essonne département, 25 km south of Paris, the programme will cover disadvantaged areas which have a high level of unemployment (especially female unemployment), a worrying situation for children and young children, a massive level of failure at school and health and security problems, according to a Commission press release. Commissioner Michel Barnier stressed that the URBAN programme was a creative and innovative riposte to problems of urban regeneration that involved citizens right the way through the decision-making process. He added that the two areas had made great efforts in the past to improve their inhabitants' standard of living.
The areas selected four priority action areas, namely extending economic activity by mobilising local entrepreneurs and promoting new companies (EU funding of EUR 2.2 million); improving access of areas and inhabitants to employment, particularly for women by improving childcare facilities (EUR 3.4 million); improving access to culture and knowledge by means of social/cultural events, setting up an Innovation and Guidance Centre and enhancing access to modern technology for all and language skills (EUR 2.8 million); extending protection of the environment and making the most of cultural and historical heritage by improving and promoting the local lakes and hillsides and creating an ecological waste processing platform (EUR 3.6 million).