URB-AL Programm
Introduction
URB-AL is a horizontal decentralised cooperation program of the European Commission that covers the main spheres of urban policies. It is targeted to European and Latin America local communities as well as to other actors of the urban sector.
Characteristics
It is a decentralised program where all activities are designed, proposed and implemented by participants; it is based on the reciprocal exchange of experiences lived and on the subsequent use of such experiences by program participants, which brings mutual benefits. Participants to this program group freely, following their similarities and around one or several themes related to the city.
Ever since its creation in 1995, over 700 local communities have been involved in different activities developed by the program.
One of the strengths shown by the Program is that it gives access to multiple international contacts which allow establishing lasting relationships among European and Latin American local communities, therefore facilitating fruitful initiatives.
It is co-funded by the European Commission with significant resources and helps implementing many of the priorities defined by heads of States from the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean assembled in Rio de Janeiro in 1999. Such priorities have been reaffirmed numerous times, including, especially:
- Fight against poverty and social imbalances.
- Promotion and defence of human rights.
- Fostering of the information society.
Objectives
- To develop direct and lasting links between European and Latin American local communities through the dissemination, acquisition and application of the best practice in the urban policy field.
- To help local communities play a more active role in the social, economic and cultural development of urban areas, including by putting public amenities into operation.
- To develop the structural capabilities of local authorities, in particular by training human resources.
- To promote partnerships between local communities and representatives of civil society.
- To increase the capabilities for action of small and medium sized towns (SMT) within the internationalization of their relations context.
- To promote the “best practices” in European and Latin American local development, whilst respecting local distinctiveness.
Phases of implementation
Phase I
Phase one of the programme was a result of the Commission decisions of 20 December 1995 and 19 February 1998.
It was organized into the following 8 themes:
- Drugs and towns.
- Conservation of historic urban contexts.
- Democracy in towns.
- The city as a promoter of economic development.
- Urban social policies.
- Urban environment.
- Management and control of urbanization.
- Control of urban mobility.
Phase II
Phase two of the programme is a result of the Commission decisions of 29 December 2000 and 31 July 2001.
It includes 5 new themes in addition to those of phase one:
- Local finance and participative budgets.
- The fight against urban poverty.
- Promoting the role of women in local decision-making bodies.
- Cities and the information society.
- Citizens’ safety in cities.
The Programme is currently ending its second phase.
Thematic networks
There is a thematic network for each one of the 13 URB-AL programme themes; each network is coordinated by a single local community.
The thematic network includes all participants who wish to cooperate on the theme in question. The network coordinator ensures the dissemination of the information to its participants (members), holds periodic working meetings between participants and keeps them in constant contact. The thematic network is also the forum for a general consultation on its particular theme.
Joint projects are designed and implemented within each of the thematic networks. The joint projects include those participants of a thematic network who wish to explore a specific aspect of the theme concerned in greater depth.
The aim of joint projects is to put exchanges of experience developed in the thematic networks into practical application. This involves identifying solutions to problems raised by the participants AND adopting concrete means for implementing them with respect for their individual distinctiveness.
Source: Section of URB-AL in the vestibule of the European Union.