The future of Europe lies in cities. Without the strong involvement of mayors, who represent the level of government closest to citizens, we will not be able to build a green, innovative and resilient Europe for all.
Local governments are at the forefront of the response to global crises, adopting sustainable and inclusive ways of living, moving, working and caring. And 70% of legislation related to the European Green Deal will be implemented in and by cities, as leaders of innovation who enable discussions between stakeholders at all levels of society.
As the drivers of a sustainable and fair recovery, cities’ contributions are crucial to the future prosperity of the European project.
Eurocities Annual Conference 2024
Eurocities 2024 Cluj-Napoca, which is being held one week before the European Parliament elections, will offer a unique opportunity for city leaders to share their experiences and their expectations for the next five years. Cities will have the chance to outline their commitment to a greener, more innovative and resilient Europe, and to offer the upcoming European Parliament and Commission a strong alliance to shape the future of our continent and the planet.
The Eurocities General Assembly 2024 will also adopt our new strategic framework for the next five years, aligned with the new mandate of the Parliament and the Commission.
Reflecting our focus on innovation, the event will allow participants to experiment with key elements of this strategy, including the launch of a training programme for deputy mayors in the Eurocities Academy, and developing a stronger partnership between Eurocities and national city networks.
Building on the work done in the different Eurocities’ forums, working groups and projects, the event will design plenaries, parallel workshops, poster sessions, trainings and site visits to highlight the potential of cities, but also the challenges they meet.
In some sessions, the aim will be to inspire other cities and share solutions or tools, while in others, we want to use participants’ knowledge to support a city that is currently facing a challenge.
Cities as strategic partners of the European institutions
The event will be the last joint opportunity before the European elections to present cities’ expectations for the new institutions, to offer a strategic alliance, and to encourage citizens to vote to shape the future of Europe and, thus, indirectly of their cities.
Beyond the list of expectations in the Eurocities Manifesto for the elections, the new edition of the Eurocities Pulse and Monitor will provide evidence about the key priorities of Mayors and their funding needs.
To strengthen our impact on the composition and the priorities of the future European Commission, particularly the appointment of a strong Commission in charge of coordinating the strategic alliance with cities, Eurocities plans to working with national city networks. Their representatives will take part in the event, organising sessions with their members to discuss the role mayors can play in influencing their national governments regarding the composition of the Commission.
