The role of cities is constantly changing, giving communities more and more opportunities to take decisive action and advocate for change. They are becoming centers of innovation and influence and unite to share best practices and ideas. One of the most striking examples that proves the success of this approach is the Eurocities network, which undoubtedly inspires our UniCities project.

What is Eurocities?

Eurocities is a network of major European cities established in 1986 by the mayors of six major cities: Barcelona, Birmingham, Frankfurt, Lyon, Milan, and Rotterdam. Today, Eurocities includes more than 200 major cities from 38 countries, representing more than 130 million people.

Eurocities is one of the most influential city networks in the European Union. It demonstrates how urban diplomacy can play a significant role in international communication. At the EU level, Eurocities promotes the principle of subsidiarity by offering numerous opportunities to participate in and influence EU initiatives and policies, especially in urban development and the European Green Deal.

What is the purpose of Eurocities?

One of the main missions of Eurocities is advocacy. The network actively works to shape the EU agenda, ensuring that mayors’ voices are heard in Brussels. Their activities are a guarantee that municipalities will have a seat at the table when decisions are made at the European level. Eurocities organizes thematic forums and collaborates through 40 working groups covering everything from tackling noise pollution to gender equality and sustainable transport.

Eurocities and projects

Eurocities‘ activities are focused on nine thematic areas: governance, climate and environment, digital transformation, culture, nutrition, mobility, migration, social issues, and economic development. The network is currently involved in 29 projects, mostly funded by the EU. Through these projects, they receive resources and expertise to help member cities improve the quality of life on the ground by innovating and sharing knowledge. The projects also help member cities to implement EU policies at the local level, generate new ideas, and inspire further EU solutions.

For example, let us introduce you to the Green City Accord (DS4SSCC) project. This is a movement of European cities funded by the European Union and aimed at protecting the environment.

The goal of the Green City Accord project is to create a common vision for the future of European cities, whereby by 2030 cities will be attractive places to live and contribute to the health and well-being of citizens. This includes improving air and water quality, expanding green spaces, transitioning to a circular economy through effective waste management, and reducing noise pollution to WHO recommended levels. The project aims to increase environmental sustainability and improve the quality of life in cities, supporting the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Eurocities supports cities that participate in this initiative. Among these cities are Tallinn, Marseille, Munich, Riga, Oslo, and many others. EuroCities facilitates the exchange of experience and knowledge between cities, provides access to information on funding opportunities, organizes networking and professional development events, and provides individual support through a dedicated helpdesk. This helps cities to achieve their environmental goals and improve the quality of life of their citizens. 

The benefits of participating in the Green City Accord include gaining recognition at the European level for the city’s environmental actions and achievements, influencing the development of EU environmental policy, increasing transparency, accountability, and credibility of the city to the community, access to information on EU funding opportunities, participation in networking events, receiving support and professional development opportunities, and the ability to compare the city’s achievements with the progress of other cities.

Ukraine is also represented among the members of Eurocities. Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Poltava are part of this network of European cities. Drawing on their unique experience, they are now teaching their European colleagues about resilience, management decisions in critical conditions, and courage. 

This network demonstrates how cities can cooperate, share experiences, and influence global change. UniCities believes that by learning from the experience of Eurocities, we can reach new heights in the development of our cities and communities!