Networks and cities' news

How Eindhoven unlocks the collaborative capacity of the city through social service delivery

It is clear why Dutch cities have a good reputation recently among urbanists. In the beginning of the year we heard that four Dutch cities, Tilburg, Utrecht, Groningen and Wageningen, from January, 2016 are giving some of their social assistance receivers an unconditional social security payment (i.e. a monthly income of the Government without an obligation to take paid employment or to be involved in community service). They examine whether these people will become more active than others with the current, strict regime. In May, urban planners appreciated the signature of the Pact of Amsterdam paving the way for an EU level urban agenda. Last but not least, the URBACT community is hopefully already checking on the internet why the URBACT Summer University 2016 is taking place in Rotterdam, in the city which received the Urbanism Award in 2015. To carry on with ground-breaking urban experiments from the Netherlands, this article is about the WeEindhoven social experimenting programme, which might have had less publicity, but it is definitely worth following the results of this pioneering initiative.  

“The consumers have a huge power to increase organic offer”

The 2nd Meeting of the BioCanteens Transfer Network took place in Torres Vedras, from 19 to 21 March, under the theme "Supply and Demand of Organic Products". The meeting gathered the seven project partners of this European project such as local stakeholders.

The co-working revolution

What can cities do to create open workspaces where entrepreneurs can connect and grow jobs?

An explosion of new workspace

Vital Cities under microscope!

As more and more people have adopted sedentary lifestyles, and as the associated health and social problems have worsened, governments have become increasingly aware of their role in promoting physical activity. Half a year after the close of the VITAL CITIES URBACT Action Planning Network project, the participating cities are ready to look back and assess the progress they have made and identify further gains that can be made.

BIOCANTEENS: How one city went 100% organic without spending any more

Une contribution URBACT à l’Agenda Urbain Européen

Pooling urban commons: the Civic eState

Naples’ Urban Civic Uses policy is characterised by the way artists, creatives, innovators and city inhabitants are entitled to organise themselves to establish forms of self-government for critical social infrastructure including urban commons such as abandoned, unused or underused city assets. Christian Iaione, URBACT Lead Expert, tells us how Naples’ Good Practice is being transferred to other European cities thanks to the Civic eState project.