Posts Tagged ‘Integrated approach’
Deprived Urban Areas: RegGov Infographic
Monday, January 9th, 2012
What can we take away from the Cohesion forum?
Thursday, February 17th, 2011
The Cohesion Forum was held in Brussels from 31 January to 1 February 2011. It was organized by the European Commission and the main goal was closure the public consultation launched last November on the future, post-2013 Cohesion Policy. A number of European policy makers, ministers, regional presidents and heads of operational programmes participated in the work, which was opened by Commissioner Barroso and the Hungarian and Polish Prime Ministers. Commissioner Hahn, who is in charge of regional policy, led the forum from beginning to end.
What can we take away from this forum? First, a physical impression that Europe really exists with, of course, its differences and divergences. The audience listened attentively to the presentations, which were for the most part of a very high level and constructive. Commissioner Hahn’s conclusions gave a glimpse of the negotiations in the upcoming months. The key role cities play in the Cohesion Policy was reaffirmed and, as a result, so was the necessity that they be involved in developing operational programmes, along with the importance of integrated development. Yet, one must recognize that cities, as key players in development and inclusion, did not get special treatment at the Forum.
The Commission clearly insisted on the necessity of choosing limited objectives on which the Cohesion Policy should focus, while hoping for tailoring of each operational programme rather than have a uniform approach.
I will end with the objectives of method that will resonate particularly well for URBACT partners: effectiveness, results and impact. And to these three goals can be added another requirement everyone agreed on: simplified procedures. The margin for progress in this area is great, both on a European and a national level. Negotiations over Cohesion Policy content and how it will be implemented are now entering their active phase.
Jean-Loup Drubigny
Head of the URBACT Secretariat
Integrated urban development in German cities
Friday, February 11th, 2011Read more:
- Integrated urban development – URBACT website
- The Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development
URBACT NDP for Germany Deutscher Verband für Wohnungswesen, Städtebeau und Raumordnung e.V.
Fairtrade cities in Sweden – municipalities taking a stand
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
The term Fair Trade is widely known as a social movement aiming to help small and local producers and to promote sustainability. Originally associated with developing countries, the term has during recent years also been connected with sustainable development in a local context. During recent years, a trend in Sweden is for cities and municipalities to apply for a Fair Trade diploma. But what does it mean to become Fairtrade City?
A Fairtrade City is a mark of quality to cities and municipalities who commit to ethical consumption, according to the Fair Trade website in Sweden. The purpose of Fairtrade Cities is to increase the knowledge and the consumption of goods that has been produced with regards to human rights. The responsibility lies not only on the city, but also on the private sector and the social economy. Thus, becoming a Fairtrade City is a matter of an integrated approach.
There are a number of criteria that has to be fulfilled in order to qualify as a Fairtrade City, involving ethic purchasing, active information policies about sustainable development and a supply of ethical marked products in stores and at workplaces. There is also a requirement that the city increases its consumption of fair-trade products every year.
The diploma was originally introduced in the UK in year 2000. Today there are more than 700 Fairtrade cities in the world. In 2006, the City of Malmö became the first Fair Trade city in Sweden. At present, there are 29 Fairtrade cities in Sweden, and the popularity is steadily increasing
Read more:
- Fair Trade Sweden’s – website
Martin Grander
City of Malmö
Sweden URBACT National Dissemination Point
