Urban development

In 2008, the Swedish Government presented a comprehensive national strategy for integration for the period 2008-2010. One of the seven strategic areas identified in the strategy is "local areas with widespread exclusion". The goal is to reduce the number of these areas and to improve living conditions there. The Government's efforts to combat exclusion in the mentioned areas are mainstreamed in general policies and coordinated in the policy for urban development focusing on employment, education, security and growth.

In some areas, a large proportion of the inhabitants suffer from exclusion due to unemployment, long-term dependency on social welfare, feelings of insecurity or poor health. In order to identify effective methods to combat exclusion and to use public recourses more efficiently the Government cooperates with the municipalities in question. The cooperation is based on a special ordinance that took effect on 1st July 2008. The ordinance is valid for the period 2008-2010 and serves as a guide for municipal and national agencies on how to accomplish efforts for urban development.

Local development agreements

21 municipalities have signed local development agreements with the Government for the period 2008-2010. By signing an agreement these municipalities commit to the guidelines as expressed in the ordinance for urban development. The agreements open possibilities for local partnerships to be formed between government agencies, municipalities, private actors and civil society for the implementation of local development work.

The Government has instructed the Swedish Public Employment Service, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the National Police Board to get involved in local partnerships in the 21 municipalities.

Monitoring, evaluation and analysis

Statistics Sweden (SCB) has the Government's assignment to annually publish relevant data on the development in local areas. SCB publishes approximately 40 variables on its website regarding the local areas covered by the local development agreements. The same variables are published for the municipal-, county- and national levels to make comparison feasible between different geographic levels.

In 2010 the Government, in consultation with the municipalities concerned, will establish how the urban development work is to be continued. To this end the Government has commissioned two evaluations, one that will focus on the role of the central government, and another to focus on local processes.

Dialogue and exchange of experience

Dialogue and exchange of knowledge and experience between different actors involved in urban development have become more important for Swedish cities due to the fact that the efforts towards urban development in local areas are knowledge based. Sweden became a member of the European Urban Knowledge Network (EUKN) in 2008. The Multicultural Centre in Botkyrka is Sweden's national focal point for the EUKN network. In April 2009 the national EUKN website was launched for this purpose.