Networking for Small and Medium Sized Cities

Networking for Small and Medium Sized Cities

The Eurotowns network Established in 1991 (RE joins the network in 1997) towns and cities with populations between 50,000 and 250,000. There are around 20 towns and cities 11 Countries covered by the network MEMBERS: Eskilstuna, Gävle,Girona, Hasselt, Heraklion, Jerez de la Frontera,Jyväskylä,Kavala,Leeuwarden,Manresa, Mikkeli,Mölndal,Reggio Emilia,Sabadell,Schiedam, Sundsvall,Ulm,Varberg,Vigo

Mission & Aims To develop a network of vibrant, inclusive and sustainable medium sized European cities acting as catalysts for urban innovation, creativity and renewal To establish and promote a distinctive policy agenda for Europe s small and medium sized cities To create a forum for partnership working and collaboration To organise a programme of activities supporting its policy agenda To facilitate access to funds for network activities

The needs to establish links and connections : Affirm strongly that Small and Medium sized cities play significant European economic and social impact. There is the need to ensure that this the voice of small and medium sized cities is spoken and their needs are properly reflected in the development of European legislation. Networking practice at this level allows for the reinforcement of European Cohesion

Working for MSC Means finding ways to support cities in implementing the European Lisbon-Gothenborg Strategy. The networks supports the exchange of experiences, the establishment of working groups in different thematic areas. Reference to Territorial Agenda / Leipzip Charter combining competitiveness and sustainable urban development urban Quality

Activation, mobilisation and motivation are the keywords. Poverty, social exclusion, crime and loss of talent are the common consequences of a failure to break out of the negative economic cycle associated with deindustrialisation. Hence, the challenge to break out of the cycle is a very urgent one indeed. The big question is how?. Of course, much depends on individual situations but there are also patterns and the experiences of cities. Leipzip Charter Europe s wealth, innovation potential, creativity and talent is largely located in a range of urban areas that are increasingly wellconnected to each other and with the global economy at large - by air, fast rail connections, road and advanced information technology. This leads us to important questions about the potential of urban areas to act as engines of growth. To what extent are urban areas able to play a leading role in the development of their broader regions? This of course depends on a range of economic, social, political, and even historical factors.

Why participating to the network networking enables representation of local government in Europe provides a privileged framework for promoting innovation and exchanging experiences at transnational level Provides good basis for the development of long lasting partnerships Supports the partners in the identification of EU programs and joint presentation of EU projects Provides a good basis for constant update and periodic confrontation both at political and operational level.

The benefits of networking are: The exchange of experiences and know-how The sharing of offers and demands for partneship The sharing of information of common interest The representation of the concerns of Medium Sized cities and towns within the fiels of European Governments

How does Eutotowns work (1) Network main bodies General Assembly: all partners / meets once a year (autumn) The Assembly debates and decides the overall programme of the network and the policy direction for the future, based on recommendations made by the Executive Council. The General Assembly also provides a forum for policy dabate and establishes the basis for the definition of the network s political agenda. Executive council: It is the body competent to follow the work progress and ensure the implementation of all General Assembly decisions. Meets on a trimestral basis checks on the daily management of the network/ controls network priorities, checks on major relevant events/ promotes networking actions/ partnership enlargement.

How does Eutotowns work (2) Presidency/ Segretariat: rotating every 2 years Now Manresa Vice presidency:rotating every 2 years Now Reggio Emilia & Jvaskyla EC members (2009) : Manresa (president); Reggio Emilia Jvaskyla (vice president); Girona; Eskilstuna; Schiedamm,

How does Eutotowns work (3) Eurotowns policy agenda focuses on the following areas: Promoting LIFELONG LEARNING and the development of education and skills Growing the KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY and creating better local jobs Providing effective, efficient and SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT systems Ensuring that growth is SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE all in society benefit Improving the quality of the PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

How does Eutotowns work (4) Work is organised around Task Teams 1. Carry out the work programme of the network based on the key challenges as defined by the general Assembly or the Executive Council, 2. Work in a specific area or subject through confrontation / round tables / surveys and report progress to the Executive Council 3. Evaluate the possibility of accessing external sources of finance for the work Two historical Task teams: Innovation and Mobility. More recently two new task teams have been activated. Task teams receive network funding in order to develop project ideas of to implement studies and reaserches, falcilitate confrontation ect

How to join the network Contact with the segretariat expression of interests (discussed in the EC- possible participation to the EC) acceptance formalised in autumn 2010 (next GA) Fee of participation is 3.500

Eurotowns European projects

Interreg Experience of the Network INTERREG IIIC CAPTURE first network project Allowed for a clearer definition of the network policy agenda Supported the INTERREG IV C MMOVE CLIQ

Eurotowns success Interreg III/IVC European Regional Development Fund Promotes interregional exchange to support regional policy The network applied ( through the leadership of Brighton & Hove) to the last call of the INTERREG IIIC programme with the Capture project During the new IV c programme two actions have been presented under the thematic components: Innovation and Environment Eurotowns has proved to have generated two successful proposal given that: Over 500 applications 35 applications approved CLIQ and MMOVE

CAPTURE Lunched in 2004, consists of 21 towns and cities from 11 EU countries Part-funded through Interreg IIIC Duration: 3 years Lead Partner: Brighton & hove City Council The network plans to stimulate the economic development of its members Particular focus on the knowledge economy Add value to local job Increase knowledge-based job in the region Promote knowledge intensity as a source for new business or service development Encourage participation of public, private, business through an interactive process Engage a variety of actor from different sectors working together to gather, process and use knowledge to add value to the local economy

Eurotowns success Building on CAPTURE results Good track record Focus on innovation Stakeholder groups created Strong partnership extended Medium sized cities Final Research identified Quadruple Helix as key to success in innovation & knowledge in medium sized cities

CLIQ Creating Local Innovation through the Quadruple Helix Aim: to optimise the benefits of globalisation and innovation to SMEs and entrepreneurs in medium sized towns. Objective: to strengthen Local and Regional Authority policy and capacity to support innovation more effectively.

CLIQ Interreg Ivc 1 st call October 2008- September 2011 Budget: 1.9 million euro 75 /85% ERDF Lead Partner: Jyvaskyla, Finland Marketta Makinen Laura Ahonen

Lisbon Agenda Global competitiveness and Innovation Local and Regional Authorities Local and regional SME s and Entrepreneurs

QUADRUPLE HELIX INDUSTRY / SMES CIVIL SOCIETY LOCAL & REGIONAL AUTHORITIES EDUCATION & RESEARCH

Activities Comparative research common tools to identify case studies Identification of good practice University led inter regional research project Exchange of experience study visits, master classes, round tables, network meetings Development of transferable tools / blueprint Policy recommendations

CLIQ 17 Partners *City of Jyväskylä (FI) *Manresa City Council (ES) *Girona City Council (ES) *Eskilstuna Municipality (SE) *Municipality of Leeuwarden (NL) Municpality of Gävle (SE) Business and Innovation Center Lippe-Detmold (DE) *City of Ulm (DE) Beira Atlantic Park Incubator Association (PT) Centre for Technological Research Crete (GR)* Sussex Innovation Centre (UK)* Government of Catalonia (ES) Klaipeda Regional Development Agency (LT) Pau Chamber of Commerce (FR) *City of Mikkeli (FI) Chamber of Commerce of Cremona (IT) Bay of Cadiz Foundation for Economical Development (ES)

CLIQ Exchange on: Business support Product development processes Collaboration Knowledge transfer Entrepreneurship Internationalisation Partnership Civil society engagement Research and development Supply chains

CLIQ Products targeted specifically at medium sized cities Benchmarking Methodology Blueprint Toolkit Top Tips for innovation, Study on the Quadruple Helix Interregional Research Report with case studies of good practice.

MMOVE Interreg IVC 1 st call Budget: 1.9 million euro 75/85% ERDF January 2009-December 2011 11 partners LP: Reggio Emilia, Italy Nubia tagliaferro Serena Foracchia Paolo Gandolfi Alessandro Meggiato

MMOVE Mobility Management over Europe Aim To improve the effectiveness of sustainable mobility policies implemented by local authorities in small and medium sized cities in Europe and improve awareness amongst regional level policy makers of the importance of supporting these sustainable mobility policies within regional development frameworks.

MMOVE Mobility Management over Europe Objectives To identify and exchange good practices from across Europe in sustainable mobility policies for small and medium sized towns To assess the transferability of best practices in order to identify their critical success factors. To provide a common methodology for collecting and comparing existing mobility management know how and policies. To improve awareness of innovative mobility management methods that have low investment and large impact in terms of changing citizens mobility patterns. To provide European small and medium and medium sized municipalities with a tool to advocate for their mobility management needs with regional governments (providing policy recommendations). To provide a tool that will support policy-makers in their mobility management planning across Europe.

MMOVE Activities Identification of Good Practice Study Visits Feasibility studies to transfer GP Network meetings Regional Stakeholder meetings Online mobility toolbox communication & awareness raising traffic management and control public & collective transport

MMOVE Products targeted specifically at medium sized cities Collection of good practices Study visit reports Feasibility studies on transferability of policies On-line Mobility Management Toolbox Toolbox Manual Project website Communication & dissemination materials Media coverage

MMOVE 11 Partners *Reggio Emilia (IT) Lead Partner Regione Marche (IT) *Ulm (DE) *Girona (ES) *Varberg (SE) *Molndal (SE) *Kavala (GR) Volos (GR) *Brighton & Hove (UK) Brasov (RO) Razlog (BU)

Eurotowns next steps (main activities) Going beyond Interregional projects Going Beyond European projects Presenting position papers to the EC on the situation of S/M sized cities ( URBACT programme / Territorial agenda) Organising relevant international events on small and medium sized city policy making

Eurotowns beyond Interregional projects Network members are also involved in URBACT projects ( Reggio Emilia & Jvaskyla are on the Creative Clusers project) The network is analysing and supporting links between members to define new project within other framework Programmes ( such as the LLL programme) Existing new task teams could eventually generate presentations of new EU initiatives

Eurotowns beyond European projects35 The network has a meaning which goes beyond the simple definition of project proposals It is a means to exchange opinion and guarantee confrontation Intended to be an organization supporting the partners in finding response and replies to their queries (I.e. through relevant international conferences the newtoek supports the cities in their strategic orientation and policy definitions) It acts as a stakeholder speaking the voice and the situation of small and medium sized realities in Europe.

If you need more information please contact: Ms Marianna Roscelli Reggio nel Mondo reggio.mondo06@municipio.re.it + 39 0522 541739 Reggio Emilia Italy or visit the Eurotowns website: www.eurotowns.org