Working with Eurocities
The City of Gothenburg has benefited from being a member of Eurocities in several ways, particularly through strategic peer learning, stronger internal coordination, and concrete collaboration with other European cities.
Eurocities provides us with a broader understanding of how EU policy areas evolve across different governance levels. It helps us see how networks, initiatives and projects are – or should be – connected to achieve long-term policy goals. Eurocities has been instrumental in amplifying Gothenburg’s voice in Brussels and ensuring that the local perspective is reflected in EU policymaking. The collective strength of the network gives us opportunities to influence EU policy that we simply would not have as an individual city.
This strategic perspective also supports the way we organise our own EU work. With more than 20 city administrations and numerous municipal companies, Gothenburg is a complex organisation. The Eurocities structure provides a useful framework for coordinating EU affairs internally and clarifying roles and responsibilities among the City’s EU policy officers.
A concrete example is our participation in the Social Affairs Forum. Through workshop-based collaboration with cities facing similar social challenges, and by exchanging practical methods and tools rather than only discussing policies, we have gained insights that have directly influenced how we structure our local labour market initiatives.
A second example is the role Eurocities plays in facilitating matchmaking for EU-funded transnational projects. Through the network, Gothenburg has strengthened its participation in collaborative projects, particularly in the areas of sustainable mobility and digital inclusion, enabling us to develop local solutions together with European partners while accessing valuable expertise and funding opportunities.
A clear success story is our deepened ability to work on the ‘twin transition’ (green and digital) near our citizens. Addressing climate change, reducing poverty, and ensuring that no citizen is left behind in the rapid digital transformation are challenges that no city can solve alone.
Without Eurocities, we would not have had the structured platform to engage in long-term strategic workshops with other cities on these complex, multi-layered issues. While the initial inspiration for a specific solution might come from a workshop or a network meeting, the true success lies in the long-term relationships and the shared framework for action.
For example, our ongoing work to ensure digital inclusion for elderly and socio-economically vulnerable groups has been heavily inspired by collaborative sessions within Eurocities. It took several years of dialogue and testing before these solutions were fully implemented in our local administration. Without the sustained support and continuity provided by the Eurocities network, these important initiatives would likely have remained isolated pilot projects rather than becoming integrated into our city’s ongoing development strategy.
The best part of being a member of Eurocities is the combination of trusted relationships and shared purpose. The network provides a unique ecosystem where we already know our counterparts, which drastically reduces the friction in starting new collaborations.
What people need to know about the city
The largest non-capital in the Nordics and located on the beautiful west coast of Sweden, Gothenburg is encircled by rocky shoreline, deep forests, tranquil lakes and the surging sea to the West.
Boasting 274 square metres of green space per person, 400-year-old Gothenburg is an urban oasis but also a growing economic powerhouse. In the spring of 2017, the region’s population passed the 1 million mark and by 2030 it should have around 1.2 million residents. The ongoing investment in transport infrastructure have also led to more commuting from surrounding areas. The labour market area, which today encompasses 1.2 million people, is expected to grow to 1.8 million people by 2030. As Sweden’s automotive capital and home to Volvo’s production line and testing centre, new technological solutions are just as likely to come from Gothenburg as from Silicon Valley.
Gothenburg is on a new path towards becoming a truly sustainable and interconnected city. The region is bustling with development projects and many of them are in ideal city locations. Businesses and academia are also encouraged to use the city as a test arena for new ideas.
Gothenburg works hard for a better future. The city has been selected as the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020 and the city is the world’s most sustainable destination, according to the Global Destination Sustainability Index 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Global Destination Sustainability Index is an international ranking of the sustainability performance of different destinations.
We have decided to make a difference. We care for the planet, our city and the people who live here. That’s why the city as a destination has set the goal to be an international example when it comes to sustainability. We are humble but proud of the results.
