Sustainable urban development: innovative projects

 

SUMMARY OF:

Delegated Regulation (EU) No 522/2014 — selection and management of innovative actions in the area of sustainable urban development

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It details how innovative actions carried out by cities in EU countries, in the area of sustainable urban development, are selected for funding by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and how the process is managed.

KEY POINTS

Regulation (EU) No 1301/2013 outlines specific rules for the EU’s investment for growth and jobs goal, while Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 (Common rules on the ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund, EAFRD and EMFF (2014-2020) gives the European Commission responsibility to invest resources in innovative actions in the area of sustainable urban development. These initiatives follow principles in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and New Urban Agenda, and the EU Regional and Urban Policy.

The Delegated Regulation (EU) No 522/2014 provides detail about how this is to be achieved.

• Projects will be selected through calls for proposals, with themes set each year by the Commission.
• Urban areas with more than 50,000 inhabitants are eligible. Where EU countries do not have large cities, urban authorities can come together and submit a joint bid.
• The ERDF contributes up to €5 million per project.
• The maximum duration for each project was originally 3 years, but this was later amended to 4 years to allow actions to be fully developed.

One organisation at EU level is designated by the Commission to oversee the budget for the innovative actions scheme, and will also take responsibility for:

• guidance for applicants;
• assessing applicant eligibility;
• setting up an expert panel to assess proposals;
• selecting the innovative actions;
• payments to the beneficiaries;
• monitoring individual innovative actions;
• communication events;
• dissemination of results;
• auditing for sound financial management.

Selection criteria

The expert panel recommends which innovative actions are selected for funding, using the following criteria:

• projects should be highly innovative, with aspects new to Europe;
• projects should have clearly-defined objectives, evidence of proper preparatory work, and realistic timescale and funding ambitions;
• projects may benefit from sources of external expertise such as universities, NGOs and private companies;
• results should be measurable, transferable and potentially applicable to other urban areas.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 9 June 2014.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• Sustainable urban development (European Commission)
• The Urban Agenda for the EU (European Commission)
• Urban Innovative Actions (Hauts-de-France)

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 522/2014 of 11 March 2014 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1301/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the detailed rules concerning the principles for the selection and management of innovative actions in the area of sustainable urban development to be supported by the European Regional Development Fund (OJ L 148, 20.5.2014, pp. 1-3)

Amendments to Regulation (EU) No 522/2014 have been incorporated in the basic text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) No 1301/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the European Regional Development Fund and on specific provisions concerning the Investment for growth and jobs goal and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, pp. 289-302)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, pp. 320-469)

See consolidated version.

last update 21.01.2019