Commission provides 20 cities with funding for innovative security, digital, environmental and inclusion projects

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will finance 20 urban projects with €82 million. These projects were put forward by cities under the 4th call for proposals of the Urban Innovative Actions which is implemented by French region Hauts-de-France.

In particular, Piraeus (Greece), Tampere (Finland) and Turin (Italy) will receive grants for projects that will protect and reduce the vulnerability of public spaces, in line with the 2017 Action Plan under the Security Union. The EU funding will also support innovative solutions in digital transition, in responsible urban land use and in the fight against poverty in 17 other cities.

Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, also in charge of Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn said: “No one is better placed than cities themselves to design the solutions that will transform life in urban areas. This is why the Commission has been directly awarding EU funding to cities so they can test ideas that will make them great places to live in, work and innovate.”

The winning projects come under four categories:

• Urban Security: Piraeus (Greece), Tampere (Finland), Turin (Italy)
• Digital transition: Gavà (Spain), Heerlen (Netherlands), Lisbon (Portugal), Ravenna (Italy), Rennes (France), Växjö (Sweden), Vienna (Austria)
• Sustainable use of land, nature-based solutions: Baia Mare (Romania), Breda (Netherlands), Latina (Italy), Prato (Italy), Plymouth (United Kingdom)
• Urban poverty: Bergamo (Italy), Getafe (Spain), Milan (Italy), Seraing (Belgium), Landshut (Germany)

Original source: European Commission
Published on 06 August 2019