From the housing crisis and the pressures of the green transition to Europe’s increasingly fractured political landscape, cities are at the forefront of the continent’s most pressing challenges, and they are leading the charge for solutions.
As the EU prepares its new policy agenda for cities, more than 400 representatives from across Europe gathered at the Eurocities Conference 2025 in Braga to share their experiences and outline their expectations for the future of Europe.
With over 75% of Europeans living in urban areas, mayors made it clear that the EU must forge a closer partnership with cities. That means giving local governments the tools, funding and role in decision-making they need to build a fairer, more resilient Europe. City leaders stressed they are not just implementers of EU policy, they are essential partners in shaping Europe’s next chapter.
Opening the conference, Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga, stated that cities are already leading Europe’s major transitions, from cutting emissions to building digital infrastructure. What they now needed was the EU’s support to scale up their action.
“For the EU to respond to challenges such as climate adaptation, competitiveness and cohesion, it must recognise the central role of cities,” said Mayor Rio.
The mayor explained that cities are not asking for more responsibilities, they already have them. Instead, they want direct access to EU funding, simplified procedures, and a stronger role in shaping European priorities. He cited initiatives in Braga like cycling infrastructure, electric buses, and a local housing strategy as examples of what cities could achieve when supported.
“We are asking for better conditions to do the job we are already doing, and doing well,” he added.
“Cities are natural partners to the EU”
Burkhard Jung, President of Eurocities and Mayor of Leipzig, made a strong case for rebalancing power in the EU governance model and defending democratic values. “Cities are natural partners to the EU institutions,” he said. “We are closer to citizens, we understand how EU decisions impact daily lives, and we are implementers of EU policy.”
Mayor Jung warned that democratic norms across Europe are under increasing pressure, from political polarisation to declining trust in public institutions. He stressed that cities are essential to defending democracy and rebuilding civic trust. “At a time when democracy is being questioned and attacked, cities stand as the first line of defence. We are where citizens experience democracy every day.”
He pointed to the Eurocities Leipzig Declaration on Local Democracy, adopted earlier this year, as a collective pledge by city leaders to reinforce citizen participation, ensure equal access to local institutions, and strengthen civic space. “Our commitment is clear: we will not allow local democracy to be eroded,” stated the Mayor.
Jung also underlined that cities must be recognised in the next EU budget: “If the next Commission is serious about delivery and proximity, it must put cities at the heart of its agenda.”
European Parliament backing
Younous Omarjee, Vice President of the European Parliament, underlined cities’ strategic role in responding to Europe’s complex crises. “Europe is going through multiple crises, geopolitical, economic, demographic and social, and it is in cities where these crises converge,” he said. “But it is also in cities where solutions emerge.”
He praised cities’ solidarity in welcoming refugees from Ukraine and their role in driving the reconstruction effort: “We witnessed the immense generosity of our cities in receiving those fleeing war. Cities were not only offering shelter, they were helping rebuild hope. And they will be at the front of Europe’s reconstruction alongside Ukrainian cities and regions.”
Omarjee reiterated his call for stronger EU-city collaboration: “The EU and cities must co-construct Europe’s future together.”
Making the green transition just
Jeanne Barseghian, Mayor of Strasbourg, underscored that Europe’s climate transition must go hand in hand with fairness and inclusion. “Climate transition will only succeed if it is also a just transition,” she said.
She pointed to measures in Strasbourg such as energy renovations for low-income households and participatory climate councils as examples of how to embed social equity into climate action. Her call to the EU: break down silos across housing, transport, energy and social policy to support integrated solutions on the ground.
On housing, Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, warned that soaring costs are undermining urban cohesion and sustainability. “Without secure, affordable housing, we cannot talk about sustainability or resilience,” she said. She welcomed the European Housing Action Plan from the Mayors4Housing Alliance as a vital step towards a coordinated EU housing strategy, and urged stronger alignment between EU and global goals: “Cities are where the SDGs will be won or lost.”
Adding to the conversation, Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, explained how innovation and citizen participation are renewing democracy and driving progress locally. “Participatory democracy is not a slogan, it’s a method,” he said, highlighting youth councils, digital tools and open governance as ways to rebuild public trust and ensure no place is left behind.
A new EU policy agenda for cities
In a video message to the conference, Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to cities as partners in building a resilient, cohesive Europe. He identified the midterm review of Cohesion Policy as a chance to refocus funding on urban needs such as housing, energy and water.
Fitto also announced that the new EU policy agenda for cities will be presented by the end of 2025, aiming to streamline EU support and strengthen city access. Eurocities has provided an in depth contribution to the EU’s call for evidence on the new policy agenda.
“I want to give cities a strong voice in shaping EU policy,” said Fitto. “My focus is on practical solutions that empower cities to act.”
Local solutions to Europe’s shared challenges
From soaring housing costs to unequal access to public spaces and rigid procurement rules, Europe’s cities are facing mounting pressures. At the conference, city leaders and EU policymakers came together for a series of focus sessions to share practical responses to these challenges, and chart the way forward.
Investing in homes, investing in Europe
In a meeting on Europe’s housing crisis, city leaders from Barcelona, Vilnius, Lyon and Manchester called for a new European housing agenda that works with and for cities. Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, called for stronger public action: “People are demanding us to take back control where the market has failed.”
Simona Bieliune, Deputy Mayor in the City of Vilnius, highlighted fragmented governance and limited resources, urging the EU to involve cities directly in policy design and support local solutions.
In a video address, Céline Gauer, Head of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force at the European Commission, stated the need for stronger coordination between cities and the EU. “We need a shared European housing strategy,” she said. “And that means putting cities in the driving seat.”
Unlocking inclusive public space
Cities made a strong case for long-term investment in public spaces that are inclusive, accessible and multifunctional. As communities diversify and urban density increases, public space must serve many roles.
Finn Williams, Malmo’s city architect, underlined this need, saying: “We can’t afford public spaces that only serve one purpose or cater to one group. The resilience of our cities depends on creating places that welcome everyone, adapt to change, and connect across differences.”
Braga, Bristol and Glasgow showcased how they are transforming libraries, parks and civic squares into places that reflect local identity, support climate goals, and promote gender equality. Cities called for new planning tools, stronger partnerships, and dedicated EU funding streams for inclusive public space.
Shaping procurement for public value
Cities also demanded more flexibility and simpler EU rules to fully harness public procurement for green, digital and social transformation.
From Oslo’s socially responsible ‘Oslo model’ to Helsinki’s climate-smart construction, cities are already innovating. But to scale these efforts, they need EU directives that support strategic and sustainable purchasing.
Soo-Jin Kim, Deputy Head of the Cities, Urban Policies, and Sustainable Development Division at OECD, summed discussions up, stating: “If every time you see the word ‘procurement’ you replace it with ‘purchase with purpose,’ it forces you to think further down the road and connect the dots.”
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Read Eurocities full contribution to the EU’s call for evidence on the new policy agenda for cities.
Or take a look at our one-page summary of our contribution to the policy agenda for cities.
