EU cohesion policy — the urban dimension

 

SUMMARY OF:

Commission communication (COM(2014) 490 final) — key features of an EU urban agenda

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COMMUNICATION?

• It aims to stimulate a wide-ranging debate on a future EU urban agenda.
• It poses various questions, offers some possible answers and invites opinions on the purpose, rationale, form and operation of such an agenda.

KEY POINTS

• An urban agenda for the EU currently faces many challenges, notably:
  • piecemeal national and EU policies;
  • marked differences in economic performance between capital and non-capital cities;
  • high unemployment levels;
  • uncontrolled urban sprawl that places pressure on public services;
  • inability to make the necessary structural changes;
  • growing mismatch between administrative and urban structures.
• Urban policy in Europe is characterised by:
  • significant differences in the governance and autonomy of cities;
  • intergovernmental cooperation between EU countries on urban development;
  • general European agreement on the character of the European city of the future and the principles on which it should be based;
  • widespread EU support ranging from regional funding to energy, transport and environmental policies;
  • recognition that cities have much untapped potential in helping to deliver the wide-ranging Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
• The communication notes that an EU urban agenda should:
  • be fully in line with the EU’s overall objectives and strategy;
  • be integrated with national policies and urban agendas;
  • respect subsidiarity and not be built on new legislation;
  • involve interaction between different policy levels (EU, national, regional and local) and sectors.
• The communication suggests the agenda could:
  • improve coordination of existing EU policies;
  • focus on a limited set of major European social challenges, such as climate adaptation;
  • further define a European model of urban development;
  • strengthen cities’ engagement and ownership of EU policies;
  • encourage better understanding of urban development processes.

The consultation ran between 22 July and 26 September 2014.

BACKGROUND

The European Commission first raised the concept of an EU urban agenda in a 1997 communication. Since then, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and Social Committee, various EU countries, Eurocities, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and others have endorsed the idea.

Currently, some 70% of Europe’s population live in cities. This is projected to rise to over 80% by 2050.

• Press release
• ‘Q&A on an Urban Agenda and the urban dimension of EU policies’ on the European Commission’s website

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: The urban dimension of EU policies — key features of an EU urban agenda (COM(2014) 490 final of 18.7.2014)

last update 01.08.2016