The European Urban Initiative supports sustainable urban development projects across Europe.
The European Urban Initiative (EUI) is a program designed to support cities of all sizes across Europe in addressing urban challenges. The EUI focuses on building capacity, fostering innovation, and sharing knowledge to develop sustainable urban development strategies. It provides funding opportunities for cities to test innovative solutions to urban challenges, with a dedicated budget of €450 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the 2021-2027 period. The EUI supports urban areas through three main strands: 1. **Innovative Actions**: Funding for cities to implement innovative projects, with up to €5 million available per project. 2. **Capacity Building**: Supporting cities in building their capacities for sustainable urban development. 3. **Knowledge Building**: Sharing knowledge and best practices among cities and stakeholders. Recent projects and organisations financed by the EUI include those focused on circular economy, air quality, climate adaptation, and urban mobility. To receive funding, cities must propose projects that align with the Urban Agenda for the EU and demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainable urban development.
The European Urban Initiative (EUI) is a comprehensive program designed to support urban areas across Europe in developing innovative solutions and enhancing their capacity and knowledge in sustainable urban development. Here are the key aspects of the EUI:
Objectives
The EUI aims to:
- Strengthen integrated and participatory approaches to sustainable urban development.
- Provide a stronger link to EU policies and Cohesion policy investments in urban areas.
- Offer coherent support to cities to navigate various initiatives, programs, and instruments under Cohesion policy.
- Maximize synergy and complementarity with the interregional cooperation program URBACT IV.
- Support the multi-level working of the Urban Agenda for the EU and intergovernmental cooperation on urban matters[5][6].
Structure
The EUI is structured around different levels of assistance:
- Innovative Actions: Supporting urban authorities with up to 80% direct co-financing and up to €5 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This allows cities to experiment with innovative ideas and transfer successful solutions to other cities[5][7].
- Capacity Building: Strengthening the capacities of cities in designing sustainable urban development strategies, policies, and practices in an integrated and participative way[5][7].
- Knowledge Environment: Providing a knowledge environment for cities to ensure easier access to horizontal and thematic knowledge and share know-how on sustainable urban development[5][7].
Thematic Areas
The EUI covers a wide range of thematic areas, including:
- Administration & Governance
- Institutional Capacity & Cooperation
- Arts & Culture
- Cultural Heritage
- Tourism
- Circular Economy
- Natural Resources
- Digitalisation and Digital Society
- ICT
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
- Rural & Urban Development/Planning[9].
Funding and Eligibility
The EUI is funded by the ERDF with a dedicated budget of €450 million for the 2021-2027 programming period. A minimum of 8% of the ERDF resources in each Member State must be invested in priorities and projects selected by cities based on their own sustainable urban development strategies[6].
Eligible applicants include:
- Policy makers
- Entrepreneurs
- Urban decision-makers
- Social economy organizations interested in testing and scaling up social innovations related to sustainable urban development[5].
Application Process
To apply for EUI funding, applicants should:
- Familiarize themselves with the objectives and priorities of the EUI program.
- Ensure their project aligns with the program's goals.
- Follow the calls for proposals published on the EUI website[5][7].
Impact and Examples
The EUI has funded several innovative projects in the past, such as:
- Antwerp Circular South in Belgium, which engages the community in a circular economy.
- Super Circular Estate in Kerkrade, Netherlands, focusing on circular social housing.
- Urban Infra Revolution in Lappeenranta, Finland, developing recyclable urban construction products.
- Earth Cycle in Sevran, France, recycling soil from subway work for circular economy purposes[7].
The EUI aims to foster the deployment of proof-tested urban innovations across the EU, providing opportunities for cities to turn ambitious ideas into pilot projects and ensuring the knowledge generated is effectively transferred and replicated across Europe[9].
Citations: [1] https://www.urban-initiative.eu [2] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_2389 [3] https://www.uia-initiative.eu/en/eui/european-urban-initiative [4] https://www.youtube.com/%40EUI_Initiative [5] https://social-economy-gateway.ec.europa.eu/eu-funding-programmes/european-urban-initiative_en [6] https://eufundingoverview.be/funding/european-urban-initiative-eui [7] https://www.circularcityfundingguide.eu/funding-types-and-their-applicability/grants-and-subsidies/european-urban-initiative-eui/ [8] https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-urban-initiative/ [9] https://www.euro-access.eu/en/programs/67/European-Urban-Initiative-Innovative-Actions [10] https://www.urban-initiative.eu/what-european-urban-initiative
