Developing metropolitan areas

The status of metropolis was created by the law of 16 December 2010 to strengthen the role of large agglomerations as engines of growth and territorial attractiveness. A metropolis groups together several municipalities that join forces to “build a project for the economic, ecological, educational, cultural and social planning and development of their territory in order to improve its competitiveness and cohesion”. Territorial economic development is at the heart of the competences of metropolises. In addition, they are responsible for the development of cultural and educational facilities, the management and development of transport infrastructures, housing policy, economic and social integration, environmental and energy issues, international influence and the development of university, research and innovation resources. How to develop metropolises? How can we encourage sub-regional cooperation between the different territorial authorities to achieve these objectives? Which infrastructures should be developed and which projects should be prioritised to improve the attractiveness of the territories and strengthen social cohesion? Which actors should be mobilised? And finally, what delegations of powers from the State and the regions to the metropolises should be envisaged? These are the questions that will be addressed during this session.