Whatever happens, the Commission will have to begin to deliver on the expectations of greater integration that the document is going to arouse. At the same time, it is very clear that in order for the Union to achieve a more integrated approach to urban policy, member states and local authorities will have to get rid of many of their traditional functional and departmental boundaries and their sectoral approach to policy making. In particular, many member states have yet to accept that the key policy principles are encouraging. It is important that whenever the Commission revises the guiding principles, it insists that member states declare their approval of them before applying for structural funds. This way, the interest of cities cannot be ignored by unsympathetic national or regional governments.
Housing remains a central issue for urban policy.
There is substantial support for the view that if it cannot finance mainstream housing activities, the Commission should at least support housing-related regeneration activities. Such activities could include training programmes, community capacity building, the provision of community facilities, and environmental improvements, etc. Obviously, there is considerable experience to build upon in different countries, and it would be important for cities and the Commission to coordinate it in order not to reinvent the wheel. It could mean that in the future, cities will have to make their cases indirectly through regional and national government structures and intermediaries. To sustain the gains of the past years, cities will need to find a new way of putting their case directly to the Commission.