Abstract
Innovation has been a keyword during the 2014–2020 programming cycle. This chapter aims at examining how this concept has been developed in the context of the EU urban policy, with a particular attention to social innovation. Debates and interpretations of social innovation are outlined, considering both its potentialities in a context of economic and financial crisis, as well as some of its weaknesses. Two main EU programs—Urbact and the Urban Innovative Actions—are described, underlining how much innovation is conceived both in terms of sharing and mainstreaming of established practices, as well “disruption” and experimentation of new ones. Two examples from Milan are provided: the Urbact project “BoostInno” (2016–2018) and the Urban Innovative Action “OpenAgri” (2016–2019). The essay argues that EU urban policy in the 2014–2020 programming cycle has been able to produce innovation by taking distance from more consolidated topics, practices, governance systems and territories. Social innovation and its support may be useful to address the very diverse needs emerging in current societies, but the capacity of these practices to reach the more disadvantaged groups is not granted, and here lies the space of intervention of urban policy and more traditional welfare measures.
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Notes
- 1.
Serena Vicari and Simonetta Armondi were invited to give lectures respectively on the concept of social innovation, and on the conception of smart city developed by the Municipality of Milan where a significant link with the social innovation side has been developed. Experts of urban policy at the International and National level such as Simone D’Antonio (ANCI) and Carlotta Fioretti (Joint Research Centre, Territorial Development Unit, Sevilla) gave lectures in the course on EU initiatives and programs related to urban issues.
- 2.
José Manuel Barroso has been President of the European Commission from 2004 to 2014. See also European Union Report (2010).
- 3.
Literature on social innovation is really wide. I am grateful to Serena Vicari as a big part of the selection for literature review and key-concepts proposed in this section come also from her interpretations.
- 4.
The OECD—Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development—promotes policies aimed at improving the economic and social well-being of people around the world, providing a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems.
- 5.
Online spaces where communities can come together to solve challengers they face; committees aimed at increasing close-range democracy by giving local residents responsibility for local service budgets; community-driven local development trusts with positive outcomes for both social and economic development.
- 6.
Networks of volunteers who deliver groceries to elderly citizens in the remote parts of the Municipalities; initiatives aimed at linking young people, particularly those at risk of social exclusion, with elderly people who need assistance with everyday tasks; centres that bring services to local residents through cooperation between the Municipality, local people, local associations and businesses; cafés where retired volunteers and school students can meet and teach each other new skills; resident-owned cooperatives that provides healthcare services to local residents in a rural areas.
- 7.
Microfinance is a type of banking service that is provided to unemployed or low-income individuals, or groups who otherwise have no other access to financial services. The ultimate goal of microfinance is to give low-income people an opportunity to become self-sufficient by providing a way to save money, borrow money and get insurance.
- 8.
Social time-banking are networks where people receive time credits for voluntary and community activities, instead of receiving money.
- 9.
For example, community allotments, urban agriculture and gardening considered also as meaningful activities for increasing social capital in a local community, taking care of green spaces, develop cooperatives or solidarity economies for lower income groups.
- 10.
Cfr. http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/innovation/policy/social_en; See also Moulaert et al. (2017).
- 11.
An example is the Employment and Social Innovation Programme, Horizon 2020.
- 12.
EUR 18 million for the 2000–2006 programming cycle; EUR 68 million for the 2007–2013 cycle; EUR 96 million for the current cycle.
- 13.
The Urban Innovative Actions co-finance 80% of the projects’ activities, providing with up to EUR 5 million to implement and innovative project.
- 14.
Measurable results and the partnership composition account for the 15% of the UIA assessment; transferability account for the 10% of the UIA assessment.
- 15.
Different experts and stakeholders participating to BoostInno and OpenAgri such Anna Cristina Siragusa (Municipality of Milan), Elena Donaggio (Avanzi, Milano), Antonio Longo (Politecnico di Milano), and Roberto Nocerino (Poliedra) discussed with the students strengths and weaknesses of the Urban Innovative Actions when working in the field.
- 16.
The cities were Braga (PO), Baia Mare (RO), Barcelona (ES), Gdansk (PL) (leading partner), Milan (IT), Paris (FR), Strasbourg (FR), Skane County (SE), Turin (IT), Wroclaw (PL).
- 17.
Food is more and more considered as an emerging multidimensional policy challenge related to ecological concerns, social and public health problems, economic perspectives, spatial patterns and city planning. In 2015 the Municipality of Milan adopted its Food Policy, and promoted the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact through which 132 cities from all over the world established a commitment to make urban food systems more inclusive, resilient, safe and diverse.
- 18.
The Municipality of Milan, the Chamber of Commerce, the Politecnico di Milano Foundation (research center), the Fondazione Parco Tecnologico Padano (an incubator dedicated to technological companies and startups), Universities such as the Università degli Studi di Milano and the Politecnico di Milano, the think-tank Avanzi, the research center Cineca and Future Food Instutute Trust, the private companies ImpattoZero and Food Partners, NGOs such as La Strada Società Cooperativa Sociale, Sunugal, Mare impresa sociale; Poliedra—(consultants for Politecnico di Milano), Istituto Formazione Operatori Aziendali (training center).
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Fedeli, V., Lenzi, C., Briata, P., Pedrazzini, L. (2020). Innovation in EU “Urban Policy” During the 2014–2020 Programming Period: Conceptions, Experiences and Perspectives. In: EU Regional and Urban Policy. SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34575-4_5
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