UrbAct uses resources and know-how to strengthen the capacity of cities to deliver integrated urban strategy and actions on the thematic according to their challenges. The main target participants include practitioners, city managers, elected representatives and stakeholders from other public agencies, the private sector and civil society.

URBACT and the European Urban Initiative will work in collaboration to provide a coherent offer to urban stakeholders and support to cities for their integrated and sustainable urban development under Cohesion policy.

For the first time in the programme, beneficiaries will include cities from 5 IPA countries (Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Republic of North Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina). The specificities of the IPA cities participating in URBACT will be addressed through a dedicated needs analysis exercise. The cities will receive support related to the design of integrated action plans for sustainable urban development and will have the opportunity to share experience with EU peers supporting the preparation of these countries for accession to the EU.

The first call of URBACT IV will open in January 2023. Cities and other entities that wish to join an Action Planning Network will be welcome to build partnerships and send applications within the following three months.

URBACT IV will also offer several tools to help cities, such as an online Partner Search Tool which will help them in finding partners for their project or contacting people with existing ideas. This platform will be launched on URBACT’s website in the course of October 2022.