Flash October 2020

Fast Forward – a sneak peek inside Eurocities

– Hot from our Brussels HQ

 

Eurocities 2020: Reinventing cities – beyond the urban crises

Minecraft city
Reinventing cities

With only a couple of weeks to go to our first online annual conference, the programme is taking shape.

In four sessions plus a speednetworking afternoon, we have something for everyone:

  • Wednesday, 4 November, 10.00-11.30 ‘Future cities – do cities have a future?’

In our opening session politicians and experts will be taking a close look at the trends, debating the challenges and hearing from thought leaders on the future of cities. Speakers include mayors from Braga, Bristol, Cluj-Napoca, Helsinki and Stockholm, as well as a keynote by Greg Clark, urbanist, with other speakers still to confirm.

  • Wednesday, 4 November, 15.00-16.30 ‘A stronger future: resilient cities’

We are looking forward to a keynote by Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič, on the relevance of the Commission’s first foresight report, and will discuss how the EU and cities can align efforts, making Europe future-fit and more resilient in times of crisis. Speakers include mayors and deputy mayors from Brussels Capital Region, Ghent, Helsinki, Leipzig, Mannheim and Turku, experts from Paris and the Global Resilient Cities Network, with further confirmations pending.

  • Thursday, 5 November, 10.00-11.30 ‘Green and just recovery in cities’

A keynote by our president and mayor of Stockholm, Anna König Jerlmyr, will highlight the importance of keeping our climate ambitions at a high level. The debate will consider the means of financing the much-needed green and just recovery in cities, with confirmed mayors from Glasgow, Hanover, Oulu, Strasbourg, Tallinn, Vantaa, an expert on resource strategy and representatives from the European institutions.

  • Thursday, 5 November, 11.30-12.30 Eurocities AGM

Our members only business meeting will see the announcement of the election outcome to the executive committee, the results of approvals of budget, statutes and other regulatory business, as well as the announcement of our new president and vice president.

  • Thursday, 5 November, 14.30-16.00 speednetworking

Member-run sessions, networking opportunities, case studies and exchanges will close Eurocities 2020.

nicola.vatthauer@eurocities.eu

Members can register here. Read more about the programme here.

 

Eurocities’ Executive Committee: Your vote counts!

At this year’s AGM, you will be asked to vote on the ExCom, the cities that will represent you at the head of the network. You can discover the candidates’ and their priorities here.

What is ExCom?

ExCom, or the ‘Executive Committee,’ is the group of cities that spearheads Eurocities on behalf of all our members. It is made up of 12 cities, and every year four places go up for election. This year, we have four places and nine candidates, so your vote really counts. At the link below, you will find the priorities and activities of each candidate, so you know who will be best to represent you when you vote at this year’s AGM. The cities in the running are Bilbao, Birmingham, Braga, Florence, Glasgow, Madrid, Oslo, Rotterdam and Tallinn.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email marta.marcuzzi@eurocities.eu

Vote!

What was the work of ExCom in 2020?

During 2020 ExCom steered the implementation of Eurocities new strategic framework notably within the frame of the European green deal, including by approving our multiple policy papers and statements. Also, in the difficult context of the health pandemic, it led on key actions to position Eurocities towards the EU institutions and member states on the EU recovery and resilience facility and future long term budget. It also completed the review of the network by proposing a full revision of the statutes and internal rules as well as new elements for revamping the role of ExCom itself.

What will ExCom face in 2021?

The cities that you elect to ExCom will have the responsibility to lead the network in operating within a context of multiple crises for cities and Europe with the aim of supporting them in their path towards a fair and green recovery. This will include mobilising its political weight on advocacy actions towards the EU institutions and member states, in particular around three high level priorities:

  • Financing the recovery in cities by supporting access to EU resources
  • Securing an EU policy framework for a green, digital and just transition that works for cities and people, by a continued influence of the relevant strands of the European Green Deal and Social Europe
  • Advancing the positioning of cities and the voice of citizens at EU level, including through the Conference on the future of Europe

Read the ExCom candidates profiles here and decide who will get your vote.

 

Fifty shades of gre…en

Anna Lisa Boni

This editorial has nothing to do with the famous book that, by the way, I have not even read, but its title, once slightly adapted for the colour, does resonate with me, especially this month. I would thus like to highlight three ‘shades of green’ to help European cities become more sustainable.

Next 22 October the European Commission will launch the Green City Accord. It aims to support cities willing to commit to more ambitious action in five areas: air, water, nature and biodiversity, circular economy/waste, and noise. It is a fantastic opportunity for cities to frame their environmental ambition into a European political and operational framework and receive different forms of support to expand the work they already do through the Covenant of Mayors in other key green policies. This is a fundamental shade of green that I hope your cities will join and benefit from!

Last week the European Green Leaf and Green Capital prizes were awarded to some very committed towns and cities, for example Grenoble will be Green Capital in 2022. The work done in these cities, including those that were not awarded, but nonetheless worked extremely hard to participate or even be shortlisted, demonstrate the strong political and societal potential of cities to transform themselves into greener and thus healthier places. Definitely a very important shade of green for the future of our cities and Europe!

The last, but surely not the least, shade of green for this month is linked to the essential role cities can play in pushing Europe to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The Horizon Europe mission board on climate neutral and smart cities (with me as a rapporteur) has delivered its final report on 100 climate neutral cities by 2030 – for and by the citizens (https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/research_and_innovation/funding/documents/ec_rtd_mission-board-report-climate-neutral-and-smart-cities.pdf). I am very happy that EU institutions, national ministries in charge of climate and above all European cities are increasingly becoming more aware of this mission. All going well the European Commission should launch the process for cities to express their interest in applying to become one of the 100 early next year, and will set up a support platform with expertise and a call for pilots by the Autumn 2021. The selected cities should, amongst other things, have better access to funding and financing opportunities, as well as schemes at all levels for climate action.

Unfortunately, October does come with many shades of grey too: the pandemic is worsening again, with all the related health and socio-economic implications, and the EU is going through some really heated negotiations. Not only Brexit, but also the debate between the European Council and the Parliament on the next EU budget seem to have reached a dead end. We were ready to loudly celebrate an agreed 8% earmarked regional development funding for urban areas, but this fight ruins our party. But hey, let us stay positive and hope that a compromise will be found. Because cities and citizens do need Europe to be at their side now on their path to recovery and transformation towards just and green places!

Anna Lisa Boni

 

Vestager and Short-Term Holiday Rental Group

Ahead of the announced Digital Services Act, and following the recent statement on this act by Eurocities and a joint statement with the Short-Term Holiday Rental Group (STHR) Group, mayors and leaders from 12 Eurocities member cities, shared proposals with Executive Vice-President Vestager about topics ranging from obliging platforms to share relevant data to holding platforms liable for the content they display.

Over the past decade, collaborative economy platforms have grown at a steady pace, providing a range of new services to communities, from easy home deliveries, to ride-hailing and home-sharing. This technology advancement has brought major benefits, such as greater revenues from tourism, but also challenges for the urban economy, including the harsh outcomes from illegal rentals.

Although tourism accounts for a great proportion of cities’ economies, local authorities, during the online roundtable with the Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, asked for collaboration and a modern and harmonised regulatory framework. The issues most frequently experienced by city governments include difficulties in collecting taxes and levies but also considerable time and resources spent to identify non-compliant users of digital services.

Further, the AirBnB case reveals the ambiguity of platforms on the housing market in European cities and the threats for residents of accommodation being pulled off the rental market, leading to spiking housing prices and broadening tourism impacts. In her response Executive Vice-President Vestager expressed her support for cooperation between platforms and public authorities, a prerequisite for a proper enforcement of the Digital Services Act. Read more here.

aleksandra.olejnik@eurocities.eu

 

Political meeting on the National Recovery Plans

Anna Konig
Anna Konig

Last 29 September, ExCom members and forum chairs held a political meeting with national ministers in charge of EU affairs and the cabinet of the Commissioner for Economy to exchange on the EU budget and National Recovery Plans.

In her opening, Eurocities President Anna König Jerlmyr reminded those gathered that cities have been hardest hit by the crisis and that direct access to funding is key. Vincenzo Amendola, Minister of EU Affairs of Italy, seemed to be very receptive to such a message when he presented the strategy of the Italian government to develop and implement the national recovery and resilience plan, which involves local authorities as key partners to both create cohesion and to plan for the future of Europe.

ExCom members and forum chairs shared examples from their cities, stressing that investments in cities are crucial. Mayors in particular stressed that cities must be involved by national governments in the preparation and implementation of the plans, and that this should be a decision taken at EU level and not left to the good will of member states.

The other national representative, Ana Paula Zacarias, State Secretary of Portugal on EU affairs, also seemed open to our mayors’ points and she explained that in Portugal the government works with all actors of society, including cities and regions, to develop the national plan.

Member of Commissioner Gentiloni’s cabinet, Marco Piantini, intervening last and reacting to the lively conversation, stated that the impact and the voice of cities in the process of recovery plans is crucial, as political entities within the EU, and proposed a potential follow up in terms of exchange of experience among member states on how cities have been included.

News from the business meeting: The meeting was also an opportunity for ExCom members to finalise the revision of Eurocities statutes and internal rules, before presenting them to the 2020 AGM. Among the main changes are clarification of the work with business partners and of the role and expectations of members of the executive committee in the internal rules, and adaptation of the aims and activities of the association to the new strategic framework, introducing a limit to the number of consecutive mandates a city can have as member of the ExCom and clarifying the process regarding the resignation and exclusion of members.

marta.marcuzzi@eurocities.eu

 

Cohesion policy – council talks going forward towards 8% on sustainable urban development

8%

Negotiations between EU institutions over Cohesion Policy are going well and Commissioner Ferreira recently announced an increased earmarking for sustainable urban development to 8% of the next European Regional Development Fund, compared to 5% in the previous programming period. This comes close to the 10% we and the European Parliament had proposed. No such agreement is a deal until everything around the next EU budged is agreed, but EU institutions openly putting 8% on the table and agreeing on it is already a significant step forward.

Provided the numbers for cohesion policy remain at the level discussed so far, this increased earmarking means that in the next programming period urban authorities could decide over at least €17.4 billion, compared to a minimum of €10.8 billion of the previous programming period. This is a major difference, and is the result of the efforts of the network’s leadership and the important coordination of the working group cohesion policy.

So how does the increased direct funding of cohesion funds affect cities in your country? Calculate the exact country allocation for urban authorities by looking at the figures at this link (after log-in).

While we have every reason to celebrate this important development, our working group is continuing to lobby for a stronger representation of cities and cohesion objectives in National Recovery Plans (NRPs).

pietro.reviglio@eurocities.eu

 

A resolution for the cultural recovery of Europe

Culture revival
Culture recovery

The current pandemic must not be an excuse to decrease the spending in culture, says the European Parliament in a resolution adopted on 17 September, initiated by the Member of the European Parliament Laurence Farreng (Renew group – FR). MEPs consider earmarking at least 2% of the Recovery and Resilience Facility proposed by the European Commission for cultural and creative sectors a priority.

The cultural and creative sectors and industries account for 7.8 million jobs and 4% of the EU’s GDP.

The resolution insists on the need for precise programming and financial plans designed to ensure business continuity in the sector and to offer predictability and improvement of the working conditions to the people active in the field.

The resolution calls for active promotion of European culture and heritage through tourism, given that 40% of European tourism is linked to the cultural offer. The resolution also stresses that the cultural dimension needs to form part of the dialogue with citizens during the upcoming Conference on the Future of Europe.

Read more here.

julie.herve@eurocities.eu

 

Culture and education cornerstones for reversing climate change

Book statue
Culture is a cornerstone

A report by MEP Laurence Farreng (Renew group – FR) proposing reducing the environmental impact of three European flagship programmes (Erasmus+, Creative Europe and European Solidarity Corps) was approved by the European Parliament on 15 of September.

The objective of the proposal is to fully integrate the funding programmes into the European Green Deal by guaranteeing sustainable physical mobility, at the core of Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes, and emphasise the enormous potential of culture and the creative sector to encourage citizens to act sustainably. The report highlights the importance of the three programmes in promoting cooperation and innovation in European education, culture and youth policies.

The report stresses the importance of sustainability and good environmental practices in the preservation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. In her report, Farreng also calls on the European Commission to include sustainability and respect for the environment in the selection and evaluation criteria of the European Capitals of Culture; in the selection of EU funded projects for Erasmus+; Creative Europe; and the promotion of greener practices in the European Solidarity Corps programme.

The approved resolution has been forwarded to the Council, the Commission, member states and national agencies and offices responsible for implementing the funding programmes.

Read more here.

julie.herve@eurocities.eu

 

An open letter on climate

During her State of the Union address on 16 September, Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen announced that the Commission proposes to increase the 2030 target for emissions reduction from 40% to at least 55%. By next summer the Commission also aims to revise some EU climate and energy legislation to make it ‘fit for 55%’.

As a response to the announcement of the revision of the EU 2030 energy and climate targets, Eurocities wants to ensure the climate leadership of cities is reflected in the debate. We have prepared an Open Letter addressed to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the Presidency of the Council of the EU, Angela Merkel, that we have sent ahead of the decisive October European Council (15-16 October).

We would like to thank all cities that have signed the Open letter. Once again you have demonstrated that you are front-runners in tackling climate change in Europe, and the world.

Read our open letter here.

louise.coffineau@eurocities.eu

 

On the path to a sustainable future for urban food policy

Sustainable food policy
Sustainable food policy

This Friday, International Food Day comes at a time when food systems are front-of-mind for many – COVID-19 has revealed the need for a more sustainable approach to food. Food Trails, launching today, stresses the importance of cities in our food systems and provides a platform for cities to share insights and ideas to assess how we interact with our food in an urban setting.

The project, coordinated by Milan, expands food system change started by the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. The project will enable the shared design of pilot activities in Bergamo, Birmingham, Bordeaux, Copenhagen, Funchal, Grenoble, Groningen, Milan, Thessaloniki, Tirana and Warsaw to better co-create urban food policy.

The pilot projects will help identify barriers to the replication of urban food innovations on a Europe-wide level and will bring economic benefits to these cities. Benefits for Eurocities members include interactive workshops, study visits and the peer-learning opportunities.

anja.decunto@eurocities.eu

 

A stronger social Europe powered by inclusive cities

Speaking up for cities

At our ‘Build Back Better’ event, the chair of the Eurocities Social Affairs Forum, Sedat Arif, deputy mayor of Malmo, presented the key messages from the Eurocities statement on ‘A stronger social Europe powered by inclusive cities’, outlining the 15 recommendations from cities on how to improve social policies, governance and social investment with a stronger urban dimension. Our recommendations:

  • Recognise and support the key role of cities in managing the corona crisis, mitigating the impacts on people and jobs and driving a fair and inclusive recovery post-covid in Europe
  • Boost EU support for local level social investment and social infrastructure through better access for cities to EU funding (especially ESF+) to meet the increasing needs for public social services and social infrastructure in cities
  • Strengthen the EU social agenda with a clear urban dimension, especially on urban poverty, support to children, affordable housing, migrant integration and Roma inclusion, quality jobs and skills, and social investment in accessible services at local level
  • Give cities a formal role in the governance of EU social policies

Eurocities will use this statement to seize this momentum to raise a strong voice from cities to shape the debate about the future of social Europe and feed into the upcoming action plan on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Read more here.

bianca.faragau@eurocities.eu

 

– Your tools and takeaways

 

Healthy, thriving and inclusive cities workshop series

Healthy, thriving cities

On 13 October, we went live the first workshop of the ‘Healthy, thriving and inclusive cities’ series, entitled ‘Building a resilient, sustainable, and circular economy to ensure a better future for the next generations’.

By plunging into a whirl of challenges faced by local communities to tackle the Covid-19 crisis, from steering structural funds towards more equitable and greener mobility solutions to fostering sustainable jobs and a healthier future for next generation, the workshop series is a kick-off to broaden experience, among Eurocities members and urban experts, for a ‘better normal’.

The first workshop has been designed around a keynote speech given by Annerieke Douma, Director Global Alliances and Cities at Circle Economy followed by three breakout sessions.

The ‘Future of local economy in context of COVID – 19 crisis: reskilling the workplace and shortening value chains’ session, hosted by Hans Verdonk, co-coordinator of the Partnership on Jobs and Skills in the Local Economy for the City of Rotterdam, provided a broad outlook on the changes in workplace and in business activities brought by Covid-19 crisis.

The ‘Can fashion be compatible with a green future?’ session, conducted by Piero Pelizzaro, Director of the Resilient Cities Department for the City of Milan, has explored the issues relating to the fashion, as second most polluting industry in the world and a threat for urban environment due to the high-volume of textile generated waste.

The ‘How can cities ensure fair, environmentally and socially just consumption?’ session, directed by Allan Macleon, SDG Research and Engagement Associate at Bristol City Council, focused on intensive urban growth and its adverse effects, as environmental damage. In the pre-Covid-19 world, European cities were leading the change towards circular economy, through sharing platforms, awareness campaign on sustainable consumption, repair and reuse services, and reducing waste by reinjecting it in the economy.

heather.brooks@eurocities.eu

 

Innovative, fair and sustainable procurement

Innovative procurement

The Urban agenda Partnership on Public Procurement pushes forward the development and implementation of an ambitious procurement strategy as an integrated and supportive management tool for governance. Using public procurement and the procurement of innovation as a strategic management tool, cities can significantly increase the positive impact on their social and environmental objectives.

After a few years of collaboration, the partnership is proud to share a set of tools that will help public authorities in Europe to use procurement more strategically, from the creation of a procurement strategy, including circular economy criteria and how to measure the impact of public expenditure. An interactive online module is currently being finalised to share those results in an interactive way. Read more here.

anja.decunto@eurocities.eu

 

EU cities and China’s Belt and Road

Bridge for cities

What is the role of European cities in China’s Belt and Road Initiative of major industrial investments? According to our Secretary General Anna-Lisa Boni, “solidarity and therefore bridges between cities, with governments, among people, for everyone, are needed more than ever.” She was delivering an address during the opening ceremony of the BRIDGE for Cities – Belt and Road Initiative event on 5 October, organised conjointly by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and the Finance Centre for South-South Cooperation.

This large-scale annual event advances the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda and promotes the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development via the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Anna Lisa pointed to the immense work that cities are doing to deal with and build back better after the COVID-19 crisis, including impressive collaboration with Chinese counterparts, including through projects like our EU-funded Trans-Urban-EU-China.

Find out more about the bridge for cities here, and check out our Trans-Urban-Eu-China project here.

 

Future culture in resilient cities

City of Nice

There is little doubt that culture was a solace in times of pandemic, and artists, with their creativity and engagement, have contributed a great deal to our mental health and wellbeing during these difficult times. But now that cultural institutions reopen, cultural events happen again (under strict conditions), and audiences are eager to come back, what is next? In this new world, how can culture departments in cities continue to support and contribute to rebuild and restore a hard-hit culture sector under totally new conditions?

There is no miracle pill, in the words of our keynote speaker Dr Franco Bianchini, but facing the negative effects of the pandemic on the culture sector, cities are not powerless and can react and adapt by:

  • Capitalising on people’s talents and focusing on community culture;
  • Promoting cultural interventions fighting social exclusion and rebuilding people’s confidence;
  • Widening the description of culture to include other disciplines like sport that can also have a positive effect on mental health.

The strengths of the cultural sector, i.e. its resourcefulness, resilience and creativity are something cities can count on according to Asa Richardsdottir, Secretary General of IETM (International Network of Contemporary Performing Arts) and our second keynote speaker, both of whom urged cities to join forces with the culture sector: It is only by working together that we will not just rebuild but rethink. Let’s use this time well!

cecile.houpert@eurocities.eu

 

Leuven iCapital award 2020

Leuven
Leuven sculpture

Leuven can now call itself the European Capital of Innovation. The European Commission bestows this prestigious award on the city that best exploits innovation to improve the quality of life of those who live there. In addition to the title itself, Leuven will also receive €1 million. “Our innovation model goes beyond technological progress. Together with residents, organisations, businesses and knowledge institutions we are working every day towards a better future – for Leuven and far beyond. This type of in-depth cooperation is now being acknowledged and rewarded by Europe. By constantly reconnecting the many diverse forces in our city, the solutions of tomorrow first take shape here. Our mission is to lead the way towards a sustainable and prosperous future with and for everyone,” says Mayor Mohamed Ridouani proudly.

Leuven is the sixth European and so far the only Belgian city allowed to use the title of European Capital of Innovation, joining a select club that already includes Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, Athens and Nantes. Read more here.

aleksandra.olejnik@eurocities.eu

 

Innovation Forum – and a good read about citizen engagement

Nantes

The Nantes Innovation Forum took place on Tuesday 8 and Friday 9 October. Nantes Métropole, in collaboration with Eurocities and Le Monde, hosted a digital European event to share experiences about innovation in uncertainty and figure out the paths to overcome the crisis, as in the workshop Local Innovative Ecosystems in Crisis.

The event also saw the launch of a new publication on citizen engagement. As we know, a good government works for the people – or, even better, with the people. Citizen engagement is about involving people directly in the decisions that affect their daily lives. How can this be done in the best way? European cities are answering this question with practical examples and with a set of recommendations: the principles on citizen engagement.

Eurocities, in cooperation with Nantes, is presenting this outcome of the Creative Citizenship working group of Eurocities for inspiration in an online publication: ‘There is no Europe without citizens’. Explore the beauty of direct democracy in action! Read more here.

aleksandra.olejnik@eurocities.eu

 

Get ready to replicate

Sharing Cities - Replication Handbook
Sharing Cities – Replication Handbook

Replication seems to be the holy grail of many peer-learning projects. But how exactly does a city replicate measures implemented in another city? Find out in Sharing Cities’ replication handbook!

We are now in our fifth year of the project and have achieved many milestones in implementation and replication. We have conducted interviews with our three fellow cities from Sharing Cities – Bordeaux, Burgas and Warsaw – to understand their replication process and capture their experiences. From these conversations emerged common themes, as well as overarching lessons. In addition to cross-cutting topics, the document contains the detailed steps of each fellow city’s replication process. Readers can also learn about replication enablers, tools to overcome barriers, as well as tips from fellow cities. All of that has been compiled in a practical replication handbook that is accessible on Sharing Cities’ website here.

manon.ghislain@eurocities.eu

 

Digital building blocks for resilient cities

The first-ever online Knowledge Society Forum week ‘Digital building blocks for resilient cities’ came to an end and brought many useful contributions from cities all over Europe! The event was full of compelling presentations, workshops, and discussions that provided insights on how European cities responded to COVID-19 through technology.

The KSF week started with a political panel with representatives from Manchester, Barcelona, Ghent, and Milan highlighting their actions towards the digital transformation as well as the challenges they had to overcome during the pandemic crisis such as the digital divide. This session was followed by the ‘Manchester TeckTalks’ with examples of methods and tools for resilient cities promoting digital inclusion such as the Digital Volunteers Network which offers citizens support in using the Internet and devices.

The session on Asynchronous Contact Tracing capabilities organised by the WG Standards and Interoperability presented an ETSIs innovative project aiming to track devices instead of people in the fight against COVID-19. An enlightening webinar on ‘Foresighting’ showed the importance of breaking barriers and looking ahead by connecting futurologist methods to realising the SDGs. There was also an exemplary cross-forum session on data management and mobility from KSF’s Data Working Group and the Mobility Forum’s Smart Mobility Working Group, showcasing the added value of data platforms in accessibility, for instance, for people in wheelchairs. Read more here.

nefeli.iliopoulou@eurocities.eu

 

KSF Lab Citizen Card: the road ahead

What does the citizen card look like, and how will it work? According to urban digital strategies and services expert Arthur Dallau, the citizen card can be a physical card or a digital account, has different target groups, and offers access to public services, such as mobility, culture, and sports. Data portability and sovereignty should be protected, the citizens could have discounts or other incentives to share their data and a bigger European market of vendors should be created.

The six work packages promoting the sustainability of this card are: The European Context, Digital Identity, Data & Privacy, Customer Journeys, Infrastructure & Architecture, and Sustainable Business Model. Thanks to the work in these areas, the citizen card should respond to the demands of EU regulation and adapt to cities’ infrastructure as each city has a different architecture, and governments could provide data observatories.

There was one session covering the work on the first three work packages on 14 October, and we’ll have a second session dealing with the remaining work packages on 26 October. Following the sessions, we will produce a draft version of the White Label minimum viable product (MVP). Revision of the project will follow in November and the final version of KSF Lab Citizen Card White Label will be ready in early December. MVP White Label will come in December of this year.

You can find the KSF Lab citizen card presentation.

nefeli.iliopoulou@eurocities.eu

 

Last chance to apply for EU sustainable mobility awards

European Mobility Week Awards
European Mobility Week Awards

Cities wishing to apply for the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Awards 2020 can do so until 31 October via the online form.

The competition is high, as only last year 120 towns and cities tried to bring home the prestigious award. But if you think your city was the best in promoting zero-emission mobility for all during the week of 16-22 September, you must try your luck!

Eurocities members will be eligible for the category of larger municipalities (above 100,000 inhabitants). Applications must be submitted in English.

This year, criteria remain the same as in the past, but the jury will take into account the special situation and the local context.

The award winners will be unveiled at an award ceremony to take in place in March. Together with the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Awards, the two other EU sustainable mobility awards will be presented:

The 9th Award on Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) will recognise cities’ efforts in planning for zero-emission mobility for all.

The EU Urban Road Safety Award is looking for the best European city in improving the safety of its roads.

The deadline for all the awards mentioned above is the same: 31 October 2020. You can find the eligibility criteria and application procedure here.

juan.caballero@eurocities.eu

 

What a week for #UrbanMobility

Urban Moblity Days 2020
Urban Moblity Days 2020

Combining two leading events from Europe’s transport calendar: The CIVITAS Forum Conference and the European Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) – the Urban Mobility Days 2020 filled up our calendar with a multitude of engaging discussions on Zero-emission mobility for all from 29 September to 2 October.

Our Secretary General Anna Lisa Boni together with Christian Specht, First Deputy Mayor of Mannheim and Chair of the Mobility Forum, met Adina Vălean the European Commissioner for Transport at the Decision Markers Summit. Specht underlined how cities are the best suitable partner for the EU in delivering the transport decarbonisation transition and Anna Lisa described the key ingredients for success in getting 100 Cities to climate neutrality by 2030.

And that was just the beginning: Anna Lisa also spoke at the opening plenary highlighting how the COVID-19 crisis can be an opportunity to reshape urban mobility for generations to come and pull the breaks on the climate emergency: “This is our moment to consolidate and accelerate the advances already made towards sustainable modes. Success will require a holistic approach and further building on the partnership between the EU and cities.”

In the course of four days, we had the chance to discuss e-vehicles, charging infrastructures, zero-emission logistics, sustainable urban mobility planning for the functional urban area, behavior change and the impact of COVID-19 on urban mobility.

arianna.americo@eurocities.eu

 

Urban mobility Indicators workshop

Bike lanes
Mobility indicators

You cannot manage what you cannot measure. Urban mobility is one area where authorities are increasingly looking at ways to measure, to better understand the impact and effectiveness of policy measures.

Eurocities joined a workshop this month with the European Commission and urban mobility practitioners to explore the idea of developing a common EU framework for sustainable urban mobility indicators. The ability to apply urban mobility indicators in cities is seen by the European Commission as a critical precondition to ensure the evolution of high quality Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) and measure progress towards shared goals on a shift towards sustainable transport.

The challenging question is how. Eurocities explored barriers to this work as part of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Indicators (SUMI) project, testing indicators for congestion, opportunities for active mobility and accessibility of public transport in almost fifty cities. The barriers identified by the project will be a crucial piece of evidence brought forward to the EU on what’s possible and what’s not.

Should you have any questions on the progress of this topic, please do not hesitate to get into contact. Read more here.

thomas.willson@eurocities.eu

 

European Mobility Week 2020: all aboard

Thousands of towns and cities celebrated EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK last month. This level of involvement of local councils was a positive surprise in such a special year for everyone. Earlier this year, no one would have believed that cities would have something else on the agenda apart from coronavirus.

The Europe-wide campaign on sustainable urban mobility attracted the attention of 2,944 towns and cities, a rate above the average of the last five years. Almost 20 years since the launch of the initiative by the European Commission, its message is still relevant.

101 Eurocities members also registered their participation in the European platform, including Berlin, Dublin, Milan, Tolouse, and more.

In 2020, EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK put in the spotlight the theme of ‘Zero-emission mobility for all’. The campaign highlighted the importance of becoming a carbon-neutral continent by 2050, but also the importance of leaving no one behind in the green, digital and obviously, inclusive transition.

Examples of activities that could be organised respecting the local rules to fight against the pandemic are: The decoration of buses with the campaign’s mascot in

EMW Bus Reykjavik
EMW Bus Reykjavik

javik, a night bike ride with the mayor of Banská Bystrica in Slovakia, the musical interpretation of urban transport by the orchestra of the city of Hannover, the teleworking day in Belgian cities, the promotion of public transport in Vienna, bike repair service during Car-Free Day in Warsaw.

This year, EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK has crossed the borders of Europe again, with participating cities from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Peru, South Korea, the USA and Uzbekistan.

The interest in EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK is so high that its award is becoming more and more popular. If you think your city was the best in organising EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK in 2020, apply now here!

See all the participants here.

juan.caballero@eurocities.eu

 

Building Back Better for a social Europe with EU Parliament

Pillars
Pillars

People living in cities have been hardest hit by the corona pandemic and the unfolding economic and social crisis. Poverty and inequalities are rapidly rising in cities, with new groups of people at risk of poverty – the ‘new urban poor’. Addressing this crisis requires bold actions by working together between all levels of government to build a fair and inclusive recovery in the EU. It is time to ‘build back better’ and put people first on the EU agenda. These were the conclusions of the digital high-level conference ‘Building back better: A stronger social Europe – What role for cities?’ organised by Eurocities and co-hosted by MEPs Estrella Dura Ferrandis, Agnes Jongerius and Brando Benifei on 30 September 2020.

25 city mayors and deputy mayors presented their commitments to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights by putting principles into action through dedicated social investments. These city pledges are part of the Eurocities campaign to build ‘Inclusive Cities for All’ that has so far achieved 60 city pledges, representing 51 million citizens, and pooling together social investments worth over €14.2 billion.

The debate between city and EU leaders focused on how to match the increasing demand for social services in cities with better access to EU funding support. The European Commission representative, Katarina Ivanković-Knežević, Director of Social Affairs in DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion, called on cities to work with their national governments to push the social and urban dimension into the national recovery plans that will benefit from EU recovery funds. She indicated that so far the national recovery plans tend to focus on green, digital and transport reforms, but there is a lot of potential to use up to 25% of the budget for the Recovery and Resilience Facility for investments in social and healthcare services and social policy reforms. Read more here.

bianca.faragau@eurocities.eu

 

SAF-KSF city dialogue on digitalising social services

Digital social services
Digital social services

The current pandemic has accelerated the trend of the digitalisation of essential services. To minimise the virus spread, cities have been quick to move many social services such as healthcare, employment services and social assistance online. However, the crisis has also exposed the inequalities underpinning the digital divide.

To discuss the common challenges and opportunities arising from digitalising social services, Eurocities brought together city experts from social services and digital services for a joint city dialogue on 22 September.

The participants learned from the findings of the recent survey on digitalising social services, presented by Amsterdam’s city director of social services, who emphasised the positive effects for citizens, for city administrations and for the wider city, but also pinpointed that more is to be done to address the digital divide.

Several cities active in the KSF working group on digital citizenship presented their good practices on improving online access to social services. Ghent presented their e-inclusion programme for coaching people with intellectual disabilities on media literacy – ‘Onbeperkt Mediawijs’. Mannheim exemplified digital solutions for improving citizen participation with their recent hackathon for software solutions for COVID-19 contact tracing. Finally, Palermo presented their approach to virtual assistants.

bianca.faragau@eurocities.eu

 

– Events

 

Air quality and noise meetings

16 & 21 October

In the upcoming two weeks the ENVI forum will hold the following working group meetings:

WG Green Areas and Biodiversity – 16 October

The European Commission’s EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 calls on European cities to develop ambitious Urban Greening Plans by the end of 2021 with an aim to bring nature back to cities and improve connections between green spaces. What should these Urban Greening Plans include? How can we measure progress in achieving the objectives of these Urban Greening Plans? Join us for a discussion with the European Commission and as we hear from cities that have

already implemented nature-boosting plans. Together, we’ll explore the what, who and how of Urban Greening Plans.

Noise

WG Noise – 21 October

The COVID-19 crisis has reignited debate around human health and wellbeing. Join us as we delve into the challenge of designating quiet areas in cities. What criteria should we use to designate such areas and how can we capitalise on the benefits of integrating quiet areas into planning for other areas, such as parks?

heather.brooks@eurocities.eu

 

Last chance to register for the Mobility Forum online meeting

19 & 20 October

Public transport
Public transport

Just a few days to go: secure your virtual seat at the Mobility Forum online meeting!

There will be three timeslots on 19 October to connect with the Mobility Forum community:

  • 10:30-11:30 – Mobility Forum Business meeting – Network update: a reflection on 2020 and the way forward
  • 14:00-16:00 – All Roads Lead to Cities – An online event to discuss with representatives from the EU Institutions and other urban mobility stakeholders how sustainable urban mobility can contribute to deliver the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy objectives
  • 17:30-18:30 – Mobility Forum Happy Hour – Online networking opportunity to connect from your sofa with your mobility peers!

Please find the agenda here and register online here.

Moreover, on 20 October there will be two workshops organised in the framework of the Eurocities ‘Healthy, Thriving and Inclusive Cities’ workshops series. The two workshops on 20 October will focus on Healthy mobility for all in a thriving city; and Urban design for healthy and accessible public spaces. You can find more information on this series here. Register here.

arianna.americo@eurocities.eu

 

Green City Accord Launch

22 October

City reflection
Cities and nature

Do you want to know more about an initiative that can make green cities become a reality?

Mark your calendars: The Green City Accord, a new movement of mayors for the environment initiated by the European Commission, is ready to be launched during a high-level event at the European Week of Regions and Cities, on 22 October 2020 from 11:30 to 13:00.

Who will be there?

Speakers lined up include Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General and Claudia Fusco, Head of Environmental Knowledge, Eco-Innovation and SMEs, both DG Environment of the European Commission, as well as Juan Espadas Cejas, Mayor of Seville (Spain) and Chair of the Environment, Climate Change and Energy Commission of the Committee of the Regions, Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence (Italy) and Desislava Bileva, Deputy Mayor of Sofia (Bulgaria). Anna Lisa Boni, Secretary General of Eurocities, will moderate the event.

How do you take part?

Registrations are closed but the session will be web streamed live here, and it will be made available as Video on Demand on the same platform. More information can be found here.

Got a burning question about any of the above?

For full details about the accord, check out our new website or contact us at: contact@greencityaccord.eu

natalia.altman@eurocities.eu

 

Wuhan and Tel Aviv – digitalisation and resilience during COVID-19

22 October

Wuhna/Tel Aviv

In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, cities must act fast for the health and security of their residents. Wuhan and Tel Aviv have been putting digital solutions in place to track residents and to curb the spread of the virus. In this online seminar and discussion, we’ll hear from Wuhan and Tel Aviv on the measures that are in place, how they have come into being, how they work, and what the future holds for both cities. Join us online on Thursday 22 October at 10.00 CEST – register here.

anthony.colclough@eurocities.eu

 

Cultural Heritage Leading Urban Futures: ROCK Open Knowledge Week

27-30 October

As part of the EU-funded ROCK project in which Eurocities is a partner, This digital event marks the closure of the ROCK project, an Innovation Action funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme and led by the City of Bologna, engaging 33 partners across 13 countries in exploring how cultural heritage can be the driving force behind urban sustainability.

ROCK

Over the past three years, ten ROCK cities and Eurocities members – Athens, Bologna, Cluj-Napoca, Eindhoven, Lisbon, Liverpool, Lyon, Skopje, Turin and Vilnius – have worked with service providers and knowledge brokers to test and advance numerous tools and approaches to shape sustainable, heritage-led urban futures. At the ROCK Open Knowledge Week, interdisciplinary research will meet innovative action, enabling the dissemination of knowledge and the creation of new synergies at European level.

The event offers an extensive programme of 20 sessions with 50+ speakers and hundreds of participants over 4 days. To join, register here!

cecile.houpert@eurocities.eu

 

Big Buyers Initiative: Collaborative procurement for climate

construction
Green construction

23 October

Join us on Friday 23 October, starting from 10.00 (CET) to share and discuss the results of one year of collaboration of the three Big Buyers groups in using procurement strategically to achieve the organisations’ climate ambitions.

The event will also be an occasion to present upcoming possibilities to interested organisations under the next step of the initiative the ‘Big Buyers for Climate and Environment’ (BBCE).

Public procurement can be a key tool in driving innovation on the European market, for both goods and services. By working together and pooling their resources, cities, central purchasing bodies, and other major public bodies in procurement can maximise their market power and impact.

The three Big Buyers Initiative groups on circular construction materials, zero emission constructions sites and heavy-duty electric vehicles have worked together towards:

  • Sharing intelligence on new products and speaking with suppliers;
  • Preparing and comparing;
  • calls for tender;
  • sharing lessons learnt and challenges;
  • drafting joint statements of demands.

During this online event they will be sharing the results of their collaboration, lessons learnt and next steps and ambitions. Side group discussion will give the opportunity to go into more detail about each area of collaboration. Register here.

anja.decunto@eurocities.eu

 

Smart Cities Information System, ‘A beginning, not the end’

4-5 November

SCIS Final Event
SCIS Final Event

The SCIS final conference will be the highlight and at the same time the end of the activities under the umbrella of the Smart Cities Marketplace, as well as the answer to the question ‘What’s next?’

The conference will get cities from all over Europe interested in collaborative projects, trigger further (EU) funded projects, network with interested cities and stakeholders and direct the audience towards the Smart Cities Marketplace as the logical follow-up to the SCIS.

Our sessions will focus on:

  • highlighting lessons learnt and looking back on the Smart Cities Information System
  • letting stakeholders know about the resources provided by SCIS and the Smart Cities Marketplace
  • providing a platform to discuss some burning issues of smart cities today (post COVID recovery related, funding opportunities)
  • and last but not least, how to stay engaged through the Smart Cities Marketplace.

You can register here.
The full programme will follow soon. Stay tuned!

manon.ghislain@eurocities.eu

 

Social Affairs Forum

Labour

9-10 November

We warmly invite all SAF members to join us for the online SAF meeting on 9-10 November, “Cities for just transitions: Supporting local labour markets for an inclusive recovery and fair transition.” Zagreb will be our virtual host city from which we will learn many inspiring good practices of social projects for labour market inclusion of young people, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

We will open the meeting with a panel debate to discuss the social elements of the green transition and how to better connect social and environmental policies in our cities to ensure just transitions. In the afternoon, we will learn from good practices from cities on current social challenges in parallel virtual workshops on:

  • Ensuring decent work on digital labour platforms
  • Upskilling, reskilling and skills matching at local level
  • Addressing the digital divide
  • Guaranteed minimum income
  • Tackling energy poverty

On the second day, we will discuss how to ensure our cities’ access to the Next Generation EU recovery funds and ESF+. We will close the meeting with announcements of the new Forum chair and vice-chair and the host city of our Social Affairs Forum meeting in 2021.

bianca.faragau@eurocities.eu

 

COLLECTORS project, waste collection final conference

17 November

You are kindly invited to save the date for our final conference of COLLECTORS, a European-funded, Horizon 2020 project. The event will be the opportunity to wrap-up three years of exchanging successful practices as a key element for local and regional authorities to make waste collection system shift towards circular economy strategies.

Read more and register here.

Integrating Cities Conference IX

Nuremberg
Nuremberg

2-3 December

Our very first online Integrating Cities Conference takes place at a time when integration is moving up on the policy agenda of the EU. As such, the European Commission’s Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion, which will be released by the end of 2020, will set the policy context in which a closer involvement of cities in designing integration policies is indispensable.

This year’s conference is organised in the framework of the VALUES project – Volunteering Activities to Leverage Urban and European Social integration of migrants, and co-hosted by the city of Nuremberg, partner of VALUES. It will focus on building cohesion and inclusive society at the local level, by involving and engaging communities and citizens.

The high-level event, on 2 and 3 December, will be preceded the week before by online workshops that will cover various subjects related to integration, all open to our members. A detailed programme will soon be released. Stay tuned!

Last but not least, the conference will be the occasion for new cities to sign Eurocities’ Integrating Cities charter. The charter harnesses the duties and responsibilities of European cities in their roles as policy-makers, service providers, employers and buyers of goods and services to provide equal opportunities for all residents, to integrate migrants, and to embrace the diversity of populations that is a reality in cities across Europe. Joining the Integrating Cities initiative will provide visibility to integration policies, good practices and projects of your city. Interested to sign? Contact us for more information!

feyrouz.lajili@eurocities.eu

 

– Case study

 

Dresden – From industrial to cultural powerhouse

powerplant in the 1930s copyright Drewag Archiv
powerplant in the 1930s copyright Drewag Archiv

Dresden has the museums, art collections and theatres to justify its reputation as a city of culture – and earn the nickname ‘Florence of the North’. Yet two of its prominent municipal theatres had been consigned to shabby venues on the outskirts of the city for over 70 years. When these buildings became unusable, it was decided to bring the theatres into the centre. Unable to find suitably sized and priced locations, the council’s eyes turned to the former power station, Kraftwerk Mitte, close to Dresden’s historical heart.

This 39,000 square metre site would open up the opportunity to do more than house the musical theatre company, Staatsoperette, and the Theater Junge Generation. It could be turned into a major interdisciplinary cultural centre. Two local arts bodies developed and presented this idea to the city administration. Lobbying by the two theatres and their audiences was also influential, as was a decision by Staatsoperette staff to agree to a substantial salary cut for 12 years. This provided 25% of the funds for the new building.

A shared vision for culture

Foto: © 2016 Michael Schmidt - www.schmidt.fm
Foto: © 2016 Michael Schmidt – www.schmidt.fm

The city took up the proposal and created goals for development of the site, which included reversing urban decline and enhancing liveability in the area. The cooperative approach that had characterised the project’s inception and proved so valuable in confirming stakeholders’ and citizens’ wishes, was to continue. To realise the revitalisation project, the city joined forces with the DREWAG, Dresden’s utility company and the owner of the site, and the STESAD, the municipal urban development and rehabilitation corporation, which coordinated the work.

Broad public debate accompanied the whole decision-making process as the city was considering the plan. Cultural institutions and their customers as well as individual supporters’ associations were then given a considerable say in detailed planning through structured dialogue with building planners. This constructive process helped with one of the project’s biggest challenges: reconciling future users’ specific needs and wishes with the special circumstances of an old industrial complex and monument preservation requirements.

Structured dialogue was also used to overcome another looming challenge: bringing the project in on budget. After the costs of a similar project involving multiple contractors in Hamburg spiralled from €90m to €800m, the city council wanted to be sure this scenario wouldn’t be replicated in Dresden. Through structured dialogue between the STESAD, the architect and building companies, one firm offered to undertake the whole project as the sole lead contractor for a fixed price.

A new icon for the city

staatsoperette concert hall copyright www.schmidt.fm
staatsoperette concert hall copyright www.schmidt.fm

With the two theatres as its cultural anchors, the Kraftwerk Mitte complex was officially opened in 2016. It also houses the Dresden Energy Museum, Dresden’s College of Music, a co-working space for self-employed creatives, an event space, a night club and the green political foundation Heinrich Böll Stiftung. An art-house cinema, media culture centre, puppet theatre museum and intercultural meeting place are due to be opened by 2024.

It is universally acknowledged that the new Kraftwerk Mitte has great architectural and ecological merit and public appeal. The sensitive design, which was chosen through open competition and awarded the Saxon Prize for Architecture in 2017, preserves visibility of the building’s former industrial use. Power comes from environmentally-friendly co-generation and a sustainable mobility approach, adopted when an underground car park was deemed unfeasible, which has resulted in excellent public transport links and new walking routes into the neighbouring district.

The two theatres are selling more tickets than ever before, regularly filling over 90% of their seats, and bringing to life the project’s ambition to act as a catalyst for cultural collaborations and community involvement. Local residents have also benefited from supplementary investment in public infrastructure, including a new school and swimming pool. And the whole district is experiencing the general enhancement the city hoped for, with private investors building hundreds of apartments alongside large-scale commercial projects.

Two remaining challenges are now being addressed. The first is encouraging more cultural and creative businesses to set up in the centre – most current tenants belong to the state or non-profit sector. The second is attracting more people to the centre so it is as lively during the day as for the evenings’ performances and parties. The project team is also negotiating with companies from the cultural and computing sectors to move their headquarters to the centre – and bring hundreds more people to the centre every day.