Why is Lisbon’s community economic development approach so important in Europe today?

Lisbon has developed a participative model for working in deprived neighbourhoods using the instrument of Community Led Local Development (CLLD) funded by the European Regional Development Fund. There are very few models of urban CLLD across Europe. Lisbon and the Hague are the two best examples. This paper looks in detail at the BIP/ZIP in Lisbon, which has been awarded an URBACT Good Practice Label in 2017.   The Lisbon BIP/ZIP strategy aims to promote social and territorial cohesion, active citizenship, self-organisation and community participation. Lisbon’s approach addresses the fracture of communities due to social, economic and environmental issues. When Lisbon started BIP/ZIP in 2010 their main idea was to identify ...