Urbanities,
Vol. 3
·
No 1
·
May 2013
© 2013
Urbanities
36
The Urban Free Zone
To start with, it is important to explore the logic that has inspired and guided the
establishment of Urban Free Zone,
5
a legislative instrument particularly suitable to supporting
the economic and social disadvantaged groups living in Naples. Its main objective is to
combine environmental concerns and urban development with economic growth and social
integration. There are at least three reasons to pay attention to this project, as it takes into
account lessons learned from previous territorial policies experimented elsewhere. The first is
that its implementation has produced positive outcomes in urban areas (for example in
France) that were facing social and economic challenges not unlike those in Naples. The
second is that it addresses the issue of tax benefits, leaving behind the option of direct and
automatic incentives to the enterprises, and trying to boost the international role of the city by
capturing foreign investment. The third refers to the construction of social and institutional
practices for the implementation of development programmes. Comparatively, the French
experiment remains a milestone, although also other countries have implemented similar
programmes. Here it will be useful to mention the urban transformation processes occurred in
specific disadvantaged French towns, because their socio-economic conditions are similar to
those of parts of Naples (De Vivo 2007). Introduced in France at the beginning of the 21
st
century, the ‘Urban Zones’ are one piece of the larger mosaic of urban policies best known as
Politique de la Ville
. The Urban Zones policy was conceived to address social exclusion and
urban segregation, and is an appropriate mix of interventions for housing renovation, of
support programmes in the economic, social and employment fields, of programmes aimed at
encouraging the local people’s mobilization and participation in social life and of
programmes aimed at containing the phenomenon of school dropout among young people. A
strategy of integrated action has achieved the intended objectives striking a good balance
between public and private expenditure, investments and initiatives. In light of the French
case, then, the question arises, is it possible to replicate an experiment of this nature in
Naples? In spite of the emphasis that the Naples City government put on it – ‘The Urban Free
Zone will re-launch Naples in the world’,
the mayor of the city declared to a journalist. The
project never went beyond the announcement stage. Yet, citizens have been involved in
forums that have debated its contents.
5
The measure adopted by the national government through the Finance Act of 2007 (L.296/2006),
confirmed by the law 244/2008, assigned 50 million Euros for the Urban Free Zones but has not yet
been implemented, despite a myriad announcements and changes.
