International Urban and Regional Cooperation China (IURC China)

Project details
Country: 
China
Beneficiary: 
EU Delegation China
Donor organisation: 
European Commission (EC)
Associated enterprises: 
GOPA Beijing
GOPA Consultants
VNG
Department: 
Architecture & Urban Development
Project volume: 
2,498,490 €
Currency: 
€
Value of services: 
1,374,169 €
Start of project: 
January, 2021
End of project: 
December, 2023
Project description: 

The action represents a second phase of the “International Urban Cooperation (IUC) Programme 1” with a view to taking forward and developing further the achievements of the first phase (2016 - 2020). It constitutes part of a long-term strategy to foster urban diplomacy as an important vehicle of the EU's external relations. Reflecting the interest of the EU in promoting innovation and competitiveness through inter-regional cooperation at sub-national level, the name has been changed to International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC).

IURC has two components or thematic strands of cooperation:

  1. City-to-city cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development and
  2. Region-to-region cooperation in the field of innovation.

The project will be embedded in the relevant EU’s political dialogue with China, i.e. the High Level Regional and Urban Policy Dialogue. It will contribute to the policy dialogue as well as to the implementation of the Action Plan (2020-2025) on Comprehensively Deepening EU China Regional Policy Cooperation (to be signed at the next High Level Dialogue).

Service description: 

Specific tasks of the Consultant

  • Overall project management;
  • Act as a “helpdesk” providing administrative, logistical, technical support and financial liaison to the project cities and regions;
  • Provide support to the selection processes for cities and regions;
  • Support and monitor development of Urban and Regional Cooperation Action Plans;
  • Conduct networking and knowledge exchange activities for cities and regions, e.g. seminars and workshops;
  • Stakeholder engagement and liaison, promotion and visibility of project cooperation;
  • Support continuous engagement of businesses in IURC China;
  • Contribute to knowledge exchange and dissemination of best practice experience on overall program level.

The project team consists of two long term residential key experts and a number of non-key experts according to need.

Objectives: 

IURC aims to lead and develop international urban and regional co-operation in key partner countries and regions, including China. The action is funded by the EU's Partnership Instrument, which supports the realisation of EU policy objectives in areas including climate change, energy and the external projection of the EU's growth strategy ‘Europe 2020’ (and its successor thereof). The Partnership Instrument is managed by the European Commission Foreign Policy Instrument Service (FPI).

Currency: 
€