Working with Eurocities
Munich especially benefits from Eurocities when it comes to the exchange of knowledge at expert level and the impact at high political level.
Thanks to Eurocities we have been involved in impactful EU projects such as the Horizon-funded Lighthouse Project Smarter Together (2016-2021). This initiative enabled us to explore various smart city solutions across the domains of mobility, energy, and technology alongside other European cities. Building on the results of this collaborative approach, Munich is now successfully operating a Digital Twin. Today, we are involved in the promising Horizon projects Creating NEBourhoods Together and ASCEND – Accelerate Positive Clean Energy Districts. These projects aim to bring the Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus (NEB) to fruition here in Munich.
Through Eurocities, Munich takes part in significant exchanges between cities about culture, climate, and social affairs. By endorsing the Eurocities Lille Call to Action for low-carbon and more inclusive culture from 2024, the City of Munich is enriching local inclusive and sustainable cultural initiatives. In the SUN4Ukraine project, we support Ukrainian municipalities, among them our twin city of Kyiv, in making their reconstruction strategies climate-neutral. Most recently, in 2026, Munich has joined the Mayors for Housing Alliance, which provides a valuable political platform for sharing solutions and strengthening advocacy efforts on behalf of Europe’s largest cities.
We have gained not only a European network but also a network of German cities, enabling us to strengthen our position at the national level. In the ‘German Eurocities Dialogue’, we are actively engaged with over 20 other German cities and representatives from the German Association of Cities. Together, we are currently focusing particularly on the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the new National and Regional Partnership Plans. In this context, we have initiated dialogue with the federal government to secure recognition of cities as key players in the implementation of European funding programmes.
What people need to know about the city
Founded in 1156, Munich was, from 1255 onwards, the royal residence of the Wittelsbach dynasty. Their prestigious buildings still characterise the city today. Residents of Munich particularly love their numerous green areas such as the English Garden, the Isar meadows and the gardens of the palaces as well as its closeness to the Alps and the lakes of Upper Bavaria. The Munich Oktoberfest – the largest public festival in the world – is visited, on average, by six million people annually.
Visitors who travel to Munich in spring, should definitely join the festivities of Europe day, and a the Munich May of Europe. This yearly campaign celebrates European friendship, and invites everyone to discover Europe in Munich.
Munich has a worldwide reputation as a business location as well as a centre for arts, culture and science. With more than 1.5 million residents, Munich is the third-largest city in Germany and the capital city of the federal state of Bavaria, officially known as ‘Freistaat Bayern’. These days, many aspects of life in Munich are deeply linked to Europe and the world. Forward-looking topics are lived and developed by citizens, companies, city administration and institutions.
Munich is actively engaging in many European networks and cooperations with other cities. Munich is partner in various EU funded projects focusing on relevant topics such as smart city mobility and digitalization, urban development, green infrastructure and climate protection. In 2019, the city council set the city’s priority to become climate neutral by 2035.
The city is economically very successful. It attracts many people who find interesting jobs in companies and research institutes or who move to Munich to study at one of its renowned universities. These conditions offer perfect opportunities to test and develop innovations not just for Munich, but for European cities at large.
Munich‘s Europe Direct Information Center (EDIC) is a joint project of the city and the European Union. Located in the Public Library, the information center welcomes all visitors, whether they come with a specific question or simply with a desire to talk about Europe, and is happy to provide advice and assistance. It regularly organises events with a European focus.
