The fifth and final call for Innovative Urban Actions was launched on 16 September.

The UIA, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), aims to help cities to identify and test new and innovative solutions to respond to the growing challenges facing urban areas, which are of relevance at Union level. This is a unique opportunity for European urban authorities to move from “normal projects” (which can be funded through “traditional” sources, including conventional ERDF programs), and take the risk to turn new ambitious and creative ideas into prototypes to be tested in real urban environments.

The UIA Initiative has a total ERDF budget of around EUR 372 million.

Who can apply?

The following authorities may apply for support to undertake Urban Innovative Actions:

• Any urban authority of a local administrative unit defined according to the degree of urbanisation as city, town or suburb comprising at least 50 000 inhabitants;
• Any association or grouping of urban authorities of local administrative units defined according to the degree of urbanisation as city, town or suburb where the total population is at least 50 000 inhabitants; this can include cross-border associations or groupings, associations or groupings in different regions and/or Member States.

Thematic coverage

For the fifth Call for Proposals, applicants can submit project proposals addressing the following topics:

• Air quality
• Circular economy
• Culture and cultural heritage
• Demographic change

Urban authorities applying in the framework of a UIA Call for Proposals are requested to select only one of the topics proposed. However, as an integrated approach, should be developed in order to tackle effectively the challenges identified; in the Application Form applicants have the possibility to describe the links and externalities with other topics and policy areas.

Funding principle

The UIA Initiative follows the total costs principle. The project receives ERDF co-financing up to 80% of the eligible costs. Every partner, receiving ERDF, needs to secure 20% at least of public or private contribution to complete its budget, either from its own resources or from other sources. The partners contribution can be in the form of cash and/or in-kind.

For this Call for Proposals an indicative budget of EUR 50 million is allocated. Each action can receive up to a maximum of EUR 5 Million ERDF co-financing. Project implementation should take place within a maximum period of 3 years.

Support tools

Two Applicants Seminars – in Prague on 15/10/19 and in Brussels on 05/11/19 will be organized to assist applicants. During these seminars, participants will have the possibility to book bilateral meetings with members of the PS and/or representatives of the EC to discuss their project idea.

The deadline for the submission of the Application Form is the 12 December 2019 at 2pm CET.

More information and official documentation is available here