Boosting the knowledge, capacity and expertise of cities on integrated urban development will be at the heart of the discussions at the Brussels launch event of the URBACT III programme. With more than two-thirds of people living in Europe's cities, the performance of our cities in tackling issues such as unemployment, poverty or resource efficiency is of great importance to Europe's recovery. The launch event is a timely opportunity for stakeholders to explore how URBACT can empower our cities in these crucial tasks.
The 2014-2020 URBACT programme was one of the first interregional programmes to be adopted. It is worth more than €96.3 million, with a contribution of around €74.3 million from the European Regional and Development Fund (ERDF).Since 2003, this exchange and learning programme has played a major role in facilitating networking, knowledge and good practice transfer between urban partners, having empowered over 500 cities since its existence.
In 2014-2020, at least 70% of the resources supporting exchange and learning will be concentrated on the areas of research and innovation, low-carbon economy, environmental protection, job creation and social inclusion. Overall, in this new period, at least 50% of the ERDF resources will be invested in urban areas.
The launch event will gather practitioners and experts in the field of urban policy and will be opened by Commissioner Corina Creţu.
