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As the EU prepares its next policy cycle, European cities are stepping forward with renewed ambition to shape international and EU policy agendas.

With climate change, migration, geopolitical instability and increasing attacks on Europe’s democratic values placing enormous strain on public governance, cities are increasingly using city diplomacy as a tool to navigate and influence this complex landscape.

This was the focus of the webinar City diplomacy in times of multiple crises, co-hosted by Eurocities and the City Diplomacy Lab.

The event brought together over 200 city representatives, researchers and city officials, marking a step forward in the effort to bridge the gap between city practice and research on international engagement.

“City diplomacy is no longer limited to symbolic friendships,” said Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, Director of the City Diplomacy Lab. “It is now a cross-cutting governance tool for climate action, migration management, resilience building, and democratic renewal.”

Strategic, professional and growing complexity

Opening the event, Pietro Reviglio, Eurocities Policy and Research Advisor, outlined the growing strategic role cities are playing in Europe’s external engagement.

“More and more cities, large and small, are turning to international cooperation to find solutions, to build alliances, and to make their voices heard,” explained Reviglio. “Eurocities itself has nearly doubled its staff over the last decade, a clear sign that this is no longer a niche concern.”

At the centre of the discussion were two new research reports offering clear evidence on how city diplomacy is evolving in Europe and beyond.

The first report, the 2024 Cities and International Engagement Survey, written by the Melbourne Centre for Cities, analysed data from 85 cities globally. Climate change emerged as the top priority for city diplomacy for the fourth consecutive time, with economic development, resilience, and migration following close behind. In Europe specifically, regional cooperation also ranked highly, underscoring the importance of cross-border city alliances within the EU.

“City diplomacy is increasingly sophisticated,” said Dr Daniel Pejic, Research Fellow for the Melbourne Centre for Cities, who co-authored the report. “Cities are building multi-issue portfolios, working with networks, international organisations, universities and multilateral bodies. They’re not just participating, they’re shaping outcomes.”

A particularly encouraging finding was the steady professionalisation of city diplomacy:

• 84% of cities now have dedicated international offices.
• 58% of European cities report having trained staff for international roles.
• Most cities engage regularly with their national governments on international matters, with 88% of European cities reporting contact at least every three months.

This growing professionalism is supported by new training initiatives, including in-house academies like the one launched by Budapest, and emerging global training programmes for city officials.

As Amelia Leavesley, Research Fellow for the Melbourne Centre for Cities, noted, this trend “helps cities not only scale their work, but also ensures their long-term institutional capacity to sustain international engagement.”

How European cities are using city diplomacy

The second report, City Administrations and EU Affairs, co-authored by Lausanne University and Eurocities, took a closer look at how cities organise their work on EU affairs. The research, based on a survey of 24 cities and in-depth interviews, reveals that while most cities now have EU teams in place, challenges remain:

• There is wide variation in how cities organise EU engagement. Some embed EU teams in the mayor’s office, others in departments for international relations or climate.
• A lack of coordination between EU teams and sectoral departments remains a key barrier.
• Political support is essential. Cities with strong mayoral backing and cross-departmental coordination are significantly more effective in shaping EU policies.

“One of the clearest findings is that institutional design matters,” said Carlo Epifanio, Researcher at the Institute of Political Studies in the University of Lausanne and co-author of the report. “Cities that match their internal structures to their diplomatic goals, whether that’s lobbying, funding access, or cross-border cooperation, are better positioned to succeed.”

Importantly, the research also highlighted disparities. Small and secondary cities often struggle with limited capacity, language skills, or political mandates, making them less able to seize EU opportunities. In contrast, larger or capital cities benefit from established teams, stronger national visibility, and existing EU networks.

This evidence points to the need for a more systemic effort to build capacity across the board, a point echoed by speakers throughout the session.

“We need to ensure that cities of all sizes, not just capitals, can engage with Europe and the world,” said Reviglio. “Otherwise, we risk widening the gap between those that can shape policy and those that can only implement it.”

City diplomacy in action: Barcelona, Budapest and Tallinn

The panel discussion brought theory to life with compelling testimonies from three cities.

Barcelona, represented by Mar Jimenez, Commissioner for European Affairs, showcased its new leadership in housing diplomacy. The city has launched the  Mayors4Housing Alliance, a coalition of 15 mayors from large European cities, including Budapest, Paris, Ghent, and Amsterdam, to push for stronger EU action on affordable housing.

“Housing is the new frontline,” Jimenez said. “We’re facing a social crisis that risks undermining the European project itself. Our cities need tools and funding – but we also bring solutions. That’s why we’re taking a strategic, multilevel, and political approach.”

Budapest, represented by Benedek Jávor, Head of the city’s EU representation, offered a perspective from a more constrained national situation. With limited national support and political opposition at home, Budapest has used city diplomacy to defend local autonomy and secure EU resources. The city has developed detailed position papers on funding, housing and conditionality, and is a vocal member of several mayoral alliances.

“This is not just communication, it’s professional diplomacy,” said Jávor. “We need trained staff, clear messages, and sustained presence in Brussels. That’s why we founded a City Diplomacy Academy to train a new generation of municipal diplomats.”

Tallinn, represented by Krista Kampus, Head of EU and International Affairs, focused on the city’s efforts to localise the UN Social Development Goals (SDGs) through robust governance reform. Tallinn’s Sustainability Governance Peer Learning Hub brings together city officials, international partners, and think tanks to improve how cities plan and deliver transformative policies.

“City diplomacy is not only about lobbying, it’s also about improving ourselves,” Kampus explained. “Through international engagement, we’ve strengthened how our departments collaborate and how we manage change.”

Towards a more strategic European city diplomacy

As the session drew to a close, participants returned to the need for a strategic approach at EU level. Cities are already driving the international dimension of the Green Deal, the SDGs, and European values, but they need formal recognition, tools and investment to scale up this role.

Speakers also called for stronger EU support for capacity building, including new training programmes, co-funded offices and inclusive platforms to support smaller cities.

From research to policy, from local action to international cooperation, the webinar underscored that city diplomacy is not optional, it is a core part of how Europe can navigate complexity and build resilience.

“This is a profession,” concluded Jávor. “And like every profession, it needs investment, training and respect.”

Connecting evidence with action

To support cities in navigating this fast-changing field, Eurocities is stepping up its work to connect academic research with real-world practice. Eurocities has joined forces with the University of Lausanne and the University of Melbourne to publish a new policy brief on the City Diplomacy Lab portal.

This joint policy brief, City diplomacy in times of multiple crises: trends, structures and opportunities, offers both a snapshot of where city diplomacy stands today and a call for more strategic investment in the systems that support it. Among its key messages:

• Many cities now have dedicated EU or international affairs teams, but coordination and resourcing remain key challenges.
• City diplomacy is often under-prioritised within local administrations, limiting its potential impact.
• Strengthening skills and staff capacity is essential, particularly through tailored training and peer learning.
• As national governments show greater interest in city diplomacy, cities must find ways to protect their autonomy while fostering cooperation.

This brief marks the first step in a new initiative by Eurocities to systematically monitor developments in city diplomacy through regular collaboration with leading researchers. By building stronger links between evidence and practice, Eurocities aims to equip cities with the tools, insights, and recognition they need to shape Europe’s future globally.

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Watch the webinar City diplomacy in times of multiple crises, co-hosted by Eurocities and the City Diplomacy Lab.

Read the policy brief City diplomacy in times of multiple crises: trends, structures and opportunities from the City Diplomacy Lab, authored by Eurocities, the University of Lausanne and the University of Melbourne.