Europe’s cities against environmental degradation and unemployment

During an informal meeting organised by the German Presidency in Leipzig on the 24th and 25th of May to discuss urban development and territorial cohesion the 27 ministers responsible for urban development in the EU Member States have, for the first time, agreed on common principles and strategies for urban development policy.

Today more than 60 percent of the European population live in urban areas. German EU Council President, Wolfgang Tiefensee, stated that ?cities are the engines of social and economic development and EU Member States must act now if they want to tackle the impact of demographic change, climate change and global economic structural change.?

The two policy documents signed by the EU ministers, Territorial Agenda of the EU and the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities, state that Europe?s regions and cities must play a more active role in policy making at the EU level. In order for this to be achieved, cooperation and networking among urban regions must be enhanced through the involvement of a broad range of regional and local players. The key issues that should be focused on are sustainable economic growth, labour markets, upgrading the urban fabrics, clean urban transport and the integration of migrants.

?This meeting shows the importance the German Presidency is attaching to the link between territorial and urban development and the EU’s Lisbon strategy for jobs and growth – said Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner – the priorities expressed in the Territorial Agenda and the Leipzig Charter make me firmly believe that we are on the right track to a more competitive and cohesive Union.?

In recognition of the official significance attributed to urban development by the recent meeting, the 2007-2013 funding period will reflect the principles agreed upon. The EU supports the convergence and competitiveness of European regions and cities through its cohesion policy; altogether, one third (? 350 billion) of total cohesion policy resources will be invested in cities in the 2007-2013 period. Further, the European Regional Development Fund will provide ? 8.7 billion for cross-border, trans-national and inter-regional programmes that support cooperation between regions on sustainable economic development such as the European Spatial Planning Observation Network (ESPON), that aims to build a European scientific community in the field of territorial development.

19.5 billion euros will go to the urban development of EU cities: ? 3.3 billion will be invested in the rehabilitation of industrial sites and contaminated land, ? 8.3 billion for urban and rural regeneration projects, ? 7 billion for urban transport and almost ? 900 million for housing infrastructure.

?We need cities in good shape, wisely using their resources in an innovative and sustainable way, cities for all, for us today and for future generations? concludes Mrs. Hübner, who has also been the driving force behind the creation of a user friendly guide to explain the EU regulatory and financial framework for urban areas.

This user friendly guide, called The urban dimension in Community policies for the period 2007-2013, is for all those who are interested in urban issues as it identifies the initiatives that, under various Community policies, have direct and indirect implications for the sustainable development of urban areas.

For more information:

• Website on EU Regional Policy (European Commission):
• Website on the ministerial meeting (German EU Presidency):
• Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities (draft version):
• EU Territorial Agenda (draft version):