Josef POSTRANECKY : “Diversity in potential modes of development is one of our planet’s great treasures”
Josef Postranecky has had a passion for urban and regional development since his youth. Today he plays a key role in the Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic (*). As chairman of the URBACT Monitoring Committee for this year, he shares with us his vision and ambitions for URBACT and for Czech cities.
For Josef Postranecky, it is because URBACT is so clearly in the service of cities that the programme is so rich and so unique: “We know that cities have themselves created a number of networks and this is also an interesting way to share good practices; but URBACT provides them with the unique opportunity of benefiting from the support of the European Commission, not only financially, but also with the input of experts in urban development.”
This is a key added value for Czech Republic cities. Indeed, Josef Postranecky explains that his country is now using an integrated approach as the basis for its urban development, in connection with the Leipzig Charter for Sustainable European Cities. As a result, all cities with over 50,000 inhabitants are today required to develop an integrated urban development plan (IUDP): the aim is for the cities get European structural funding to support their development. “This approach should make it possible to coordinate and target activities to resolve a city’s most critical problems and to develop its potential.” The IUDP covers a series of correlated actions that are implemented in a specific territory or that focus on a specific theme.
“A fascinating scope of action”
Yet, the Czech Republic only recently joined the EU (2004), and as a result Czech cities have only limited experience in using structural funds for supporting urban development. In this area, URBACT provides them with a precious opportunity to discuss with and learn from their European counterparts. But for Josef Postranecky, “There is also another, less immediately visible, advantage for them in being part of URBACT: network participants can develop their personal experience on a European level, which is very important for the new Member States.”
More generally, Josef Postranecky is convinced that programmes such as URBACT can have a very concrete impact in the face of major worldwide challenges: “The key to understanding and resolving problems in our globalised world lies not only in having an in-depth understanding of their impact on a local and regional level. It lies above all in an intense commitment by local and regional players to look for new solutions. The surprising diversity in approaches to developing the potential of regions and cities constitutes one of the greatest riches on our planet. I find it fascinating to find ways to make this potential a reality and bring progress to society.”
* Which held EU presidency from 1 January to 30 June 2009.