Local economic development in less favoured urban areas Messages   Discover the new cohesion policy 2007-13: it opens a wide range of public and private investment opportunities. Public-private partnerships: working together for more competitiveness, innovation and sustained regional growth. EU Cohesion policy means achieving more together – Structural Funds investments make enlargement a success for all. Investing in Europe: Regions and cities deliver the Growth and Jobs agenda. Patrick FOURGUETTE URBACT thematic expert

The URBACT Programme aims to develop exchanges of experience between European cities and the actors, which have been involved in the URBAN Programmes, initiated and implemented by the European Union since the late 1980s (URBAN Pilot Projects and URBAN I and II), while at the same time contributing to an improvement of actions carried out at local and regional level in order to find the most efficient solutions to common problems. Exchange of experience between European Cities Capitalisation of experience Dissemination of experience

Economic development a major dimension for regeneration of less favoured urban areas = creation of wealth, in relation with other components of urban life (housing, infrastructures, safety…)‏ generated by ENTERPRISES located in the city territory. Economic development a major dimension for regeneration of less favoured urban areas = creation of wealth, in relation with other components of urban life (housing, infrastructures, safety…)‏ generated by ENTERPRISES located on the city territory.

how to generate more « enterprise »? In the less favoured areas, lack of enterprises Problem for the City: how to generate more « enterprise »? By acting on: Support instruments Enterprise opportunities

Traditional support instruments  For the big businesses, tailor made services on request, For the small businesses, collective support instruments on: access to finance, market information, management skills. How to create more businesses in less favoured areas?

Pre-conditions Adequate taxation information on their business community information on local business requirements, interface with the small business community

Instruments Financial and non financial support instruments Information and communication Regulation instruments Support to human capital Improvement of environment / infrastructures Partnership

Opportunities Heritage, cultural industries Physical regeneration, infrastructures, improvement of environment Services to residents, social inclusion, diversity Possibly knowledge economy

The strengths of the Cities: Proximity Legitimacy Public status Creativity Capacity to form partnerships Entrepreneurial capacity

5 major issues to be addressed: Integrated approach Partnership with other administrative levels (regional, national) and necessity of raising awareness Entrepreneurial capacity with social economy Public procurement procedures in relation with the involvement of the business community: external / big businesses vs. local / small businesses Sustainability of the actions: evaluation, partnership, access to the market

Additional information: http://urbact.eu Thank you for your attention Questions?