While the potential of cities to deliver on EU’s strategic objectives is frequently overlooked, including by the political guidelines of the new European Commission, the process related to the update of the Leipzig Charter is an opportunity to boost the role of cities in the EU and stress the importance of local intelligence for better policy making at national and EU level. Against the backdrop of the negotiations on the future long-term budget for the EU, and as most of the urban agenda partnerships are at the final stages of their work, a renewed Leipzig Charter comes at the best possible time. Eurocities believes that the Charter should:
- Elaborate a clear European urban vision and measurable objectives
- Give a genuine role to cities in EU policy making, building upon the urban agenda
- Put principles into practice reflecting the diversity of European cities
- Ensure sufficient investment in the EU’s urban areas, and resources to implement the urban agenda
