Activites

• 1998/07/20 Final act published in Official Journal
• 1998/07/02 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0398/1998 summary

    In adopting the report by Mrs Pasqualina NAPOLETANO (PSE, I) on the communication from the Commission, 'Towards an urban agenda in the European Union' , Parliament noted the urgent need to formulate a European urban strategy which, in addition to economic and social aspects, would be concerned with sustainable development. Such a strategy was an indispensable part of a broader spatial planning policy. By seeking a new equilibrium between urban centres and the countryside, a contribution should be made to the implementation of a balanced regional policy which would combat the rural exodus and ensure the vitality of the countryside. It was vital to improve knowledge of the true situation of Europe's cities; Parliament therefore reiterated its call for the creation of a monitoring centre for spatial development, which could gather the necessary information. In order to gain a better understanding of environmental aspects of urban policy, Parliament called on the Commission to devise and develop comparable sustainability indicators and promote activities of networks active with regard to the urban environment. Criteria regarding efforts to combat levels of environmental pollution which pose a danger to public health should be included in the Structural Fund regulations. Parliament stressed the urgent need to develop public transport systems accessible to all which could persuade the public not to use private transport. In the social field, the Structural Funds should support local employment initiatives. In view of the increase in the number and size of urban areas with social and economic problems and of pockets of poverty, Parliament wished planning policies to prevent property speculation, help young people to acquire a home of their own and facilitate the integration of older people, the disabled and immigrants. It stressed the possible role of European cities as laboratories for social innovation and the need to promote the involvement of young people in local employment initiatives, and employment of women. In the field of civil liberties, Parliament supported unrestricted application of the provisions of the Treaty on the right to vote for Community residents. Stressing the integrating function which urban areas could perform, it called for training of social workers in order to combat disintegration of the social fabric and to combat racism and xenophobia. Effective crime prevention measures should be adopted. As crime was closely related to the problem of drug dependence, Parliament suggested structural measures, measures related to the situation, and measures related to the criminal in the context of a coherent interdisciplinary approach to fighting urban crime. The reform of the Structural Funds should help to reinforce the principle of partnership. Parliament noted the Commission's proposal to introduce a new sphere of intervention under Objective 2 for urban areas affected by serious pockets of poverty and social exclusion (new Objective 2). However, it emphasised that the new area of application of Objective 2 did not sufficiently tackle urban problems and called for Objective 1 structural policy to do more in this field. It called for the URBAN Community initiative to be extended under the reform of the Structural Funds, on the basis of cooperation and partnership between urban areas and various small and medium-sized cities. Parliament believed it necessary, as part of Community cooperation between cities, to develop cultural networks and sports networks, and to promote diversity of religious observance.�

• 1998/07/01 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1998/04/22 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0172/1998
• 1997/05/29 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1997/05/06 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(1997)0197 summary

    OBJECTIVE: Presentation of a general document on the future of European urban policy seeking to: - open dialogue with all parties concerned prior to the reform of the Structural Funds in 1999, - outline an 'integrated development strategy' for cities encompassing regional transport environment employment and research policies SUBSTANCE: The communication indicates that cities are the main source of economic growth, competitiveness and employment in the Community (20% of Europeans live in urban centres with more than 250 000 inhabitants). At the same time, cities are being affected by growing problems: unemployment, pollution, congestion, poverty and exclusion, sub-standard accommodation, crime and drug addiction. In response to this the Commission recommends an integrated approach involving decision-making authorities at all levels (local, regional, national and European) and all European policies concerned: The objective is not to develop urban policies at European level but to improve the quality of urban development by making existing methods (mainly structural) more efficient and achieving better coordination between initiatives adopted at all decision-making levels. It is also necessary to concentrate less on cities as a reference framework for the public and in favour of local democracy which is the political level closest to the citizens. It is also necessary to replace the city at the centre of the European social model based on instances of discrimination of grounds of sex and ethnic origins. Concerning the measures to be taken the Commission indicates how the Structural Funds can be used more effectively by targeting high unemployment in city centres and densely populated suburbs or improving infrastructures and public transport services to make outlying areas more accessible and more attractive. Greater attention to urban development and the reform of the Structural Funds in 1999 could result in an integrated strategy involving measures for urban areas and their surrounding regions. Promotion of 'sustainable local communities' could be developed in this framework as part of the new URBAN and INTEGRA. The Commission also proposes a number of measures seeking to promote in the longer term a European Union urban policy: - development of clear targets with specified timetables for the improvement of the urban environment taking into account sustainable development variables, - development of accessible and economically viable trans-European networks (as far as possible), - targeting of RTD activities on the problems facing cities (integrated transport, sustainable construction, new urban vehicles), - strengthening the commercial function of cities, - resolving issues relating to immigration (third pillar), - the fight against social and economic exclusion as part of the European strategy for employment and the fight against racism, - development of public health policy (particularly in relationship to poverty), - creation of relationships based on confidence between those involved at local level and the public. Finally, from the political point of view, the Commission communication will contribute to the discussions which have been planned since 1997 on cities and regions organized by the Committee of the Regions. The Commission also indicates its intention of engaging in a wider debate on urban issues on the basis of this communication. A dialogue will be sought between the Commission and all the other institutions and the local authority organizations and other interested parties. The outcome of this dialogue will be brought to an urban forum to be convened in 1998.�

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(1997)0197
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A4-0172/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0398/1998

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)