The North-West Regional Development Agency, as the Managing Authority for the North-West Regional Program 2021-2027 (REGIO North-West), publishes today, July 24, 2023, the Applicant's Guide for the call for projects 714.A Urban regeneration and security of public spaces (County seat municipalities).

The call for projects is non competitive, and funding applications can be submitted through the MySMIS 2021/2021+ computer system during: August 21, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – February 20, 2024, 10:00 a.m.

Download – Applicant's Guide PRNV/2023/714.A/1 –Urban regeneration and the security of public spaces (county seat municipalities).

Through Specific Objective 5.1, action d) Urban regeneration and security of public spaces within PR NV 2021-2027, those projects are supported that will contribute to increasing the attractiveness of urban public spaces that suffer from degradation and that require integrated urban regeneration interventions, contributing to the improvement living conditions of citizens.

The urban regeneration measures supported through this call will give priority to disadvantaged neighborhoods and communities, according to the needs assessment carried out within the SIDU 2021-2027.

Eligible activities proposed in the financing applications represent contractual obligations that will be monitored during the implementation of the project.

A. The integrated rehabilitation of public spaces, including the related technical and building infrastructure in the following areas: central areas; historical areas; public spaces inside collective housing complexes, respectively in blocks of flats or areas with condominium-type housing; from the area of bus stations and train stations, from port areas located within or on the border of urban settlements; cliffs, banks and islands of rivers and lakes within urban settlements; from the destructured peripheral residential areas, from the areas of run-down blocks and informal settlements in the urban environment. The regeneration of some unused public spaces is also supported, for purposes of agreement and leisure for the community.

These interventions regarding the integrated rehabilitation of public spaces can be carried out regardless of whether the respective spaces are in use/abandoned/have another destination and will be made available to users in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner.

B. Investments to rehabilitate the envelopes of buildings located in central/historic squares, respectively of the building's perimeter closing constructive assembly, composed of facades and covering system, including functional exterior and architectural plastic elements, as the case may be, with minimal interventions to strengthen them, if necessary. In accordance with Art. 6 para. (1) from Law no. 153/2011, the following categories of works are eligible:

• consolidation works, repair/restoration of masonry/external walls;
• repair/restoration works of exterior finishes, such as plastering, painting, painting, plywood and the like;
• work to consolidate and/or repair/restore the covering system;
• work to replace, repair/restore exterior carpentry and functional exterior elements, such as balconies, loggias, bay windows, attics, cornices and the like;

c. Construction/modernization/rehabilitation and provision of urban agro-food markets which are territorially integrated within urban public spaces that require regeneration, according to SIDU 2021-2027. This type of investment complies with the conditions of the state aid scheme developed in accordance with the provisions of art. 56 – Aid for investments in local infrastructures from Regulation (EU) no. 651/2014 of the Commission of June 17, 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of art. 107 and 108 of the treaty.

d. Investments to ensure the security of public spaces (eg: proper lighting of public spaces, video monitoring systems, etc.), as part of integrated urban regeneration projects. The following are eligible:

• The construction/extension/modernization/rehabilitation of video surveillance systems by installing video surveillance systems of the spaces designed by the project, traffic monitoring systems and equipping the related dispatch rooms, in compliance with the legal provisions in force;
• Construction/extension/modernization/rehabilitation of the public lighting system in the area subject to intervention by the project.

Eligible related activities

• rehabilitation/modernization of urban streets, the carriageway, including the relocation of parking lots

The costs of the basic investment related to the activity rehabilitation/modernization of urban streets, the carriageway, defined according to OG 43/1997, which ensures access to the area subject to project interventions, as well as relocation of parking lots they can represent a maximum of 15% of the total eligible expenses of the project (if they are the only related investments in the project). The surface and length of the rehabilitated and modernized roadway cannot exceed the surface and length of the original roadway in the area subject to project interventions. Also, the number of relocated parking spaces cannot exceed the original number of parking spaces in the area subject to project interventions.

• the relocation, modernization and expansion of public utility networks (water, sewerage, electricity, telephone, etc.) that are located in the body of the roadway and parking lots that are the object of the investment

The costs of the basic investment related to the activity the relocation, modernization and expansion of public utility networks (water, sewerage, electricity, telephone, etc.) that are located in the body of the roadway and parking lots that are the object of the investment they can represent a maximum of 15% of the total eligible expenses of the project (if they are the only related investments in the project).

The North-West Regional Program 2021-2027 proposes interventions for the development of research, development, innovation and digitization capacity, increasing the energy performance of the existing public and residential building fund, capitalizing on degraded spaces at the city level, sustainable urban mobility, investments in the network of county roads and in the educational infrastructure, as well as actions to capitalize on the cultural, touristic and spa potential.

In the financial year 2021-2027, public authorities and institutions, the business environment, the academic and research environment and NGOs can obtain funding.

The Northwest Regional Program benefits from a total allocation of 1,437,252,471 euros.

• Priority 1: A competitive region through innovation, digitization and dynamic enterprises - total value: 327,904,956 euros
• Priority 2: A region with smart localities - total value: 60,332,872 euros
• Priority 3: A region with environmentally friendly localities - total value: 210,666,112 euros
• Priority 4: A region with sustainable multimodal urban mobility – total value: 305,155,751 euros
• Priority 5: An accessible region - total value: 184,978,708 euros
• Priority 6: An educated region - total value: 77,386,100 euros
• Priority 7: An attractive region - total value: 210,363,134 euros
• Technical assistance – total value: 60,464,838 euros

More information about the Northwest Regional Program for 2021-2027 is available here, and the program can be consulted here.