COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION - SYNOPSIS REPORT Synopsis report on the results of the Communication on the EU Agenda for Cities consultation activities Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS An EU Agenda for Cities: Driving Growth and Prosperity
Date: 2025-12-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission
Subjects: adaptation to climate change, digitisation, economic and social cohesion, housing, regional policy, town, town traffic, urban community, urban habitat, urban problem

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 3.12.2025  SWD(2025) 389 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION - SYNOPSIS REPORT  Synopsis report on the results of the Communication on the EU Agenda for Cities consultation activities Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS An EU Agenda for Cities: Driving Growth and Prosperity {COM(2025) 739 final}  
 
 
Table of Contents 

1.  Consultation strategy and overview of all consultation activities ..................................... 2 

2.  Feedback to the stakeholder consultation process ............................................................. 2 

2.1. Call for evidence ............................................................................................................. 2 

2.2. Targeted consultations ..................................................................................................... 3 

2.3. Methodology and tools used for data processing ............................................................ 7 

3.  Analysis of inputs - Summary of the feedback received ................................................... 8 

3.1. Feedback on EU support for cities and other urban areas in the area of administrative 
capacity................................................................................................................................... 8 

3.2. Feedback on financing needs for cities and other urban areas ........................................ 8 

3.3. Feedback on the involvement of local authorities in the policymaking and legislative 
process .................................................................................................................................... 9 

3.4. Feedback on thematic policy areas.................................................................................. 9 

4.  Highlights on the contributions from local and regional authorities ............................... 11 

5.  Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 12 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.  Consultation strategy and overview of all consultation activities  

This  staff  working  document  presents  a  summary  of  the  call  for  evidence  and  other  consultation 
activities related to the EU Agenda for Cities, as set out in the consultation strategy for the initiative. It 
also  provides  an  overview  of  bilateral  meetings  convened  between  the  European  Commission  and 
external stakeholders. Stakeholders also submitted position papers, reports and documents directly to 
the European Commission.  

The consultation period lasted from 13 January to 15 October 2025, and the call for evidence was carried 
out from 14 April to 26 May 2025, via the ‘Have your say’ website of the European Commission in all 
official  EU  languages. As  input  into  the  preparation  of  the  EU Agenda  for  Cities,  the  consultations 
aimed at gathering information and feedback from relevant stakeholders representing national, regional 
and local authorities, individual  EU citizens, non-governmental sectoral and umbrella organisations, 
research and innovation policy community, international organisations, and public and private financial 
institutions. Targeted consultation activities were also carried out with the competent authorities of the 
EU  Member  States  responsible  for  urban  development  e.g.  through  different  intergovernmental 
meetings of the Urban Development Group and Directors-General for Urban Matters, as well as with 
non-governmental organisations, international organisations and associations (e.g. ICLEI, Eurocities, 
Energy  Cities  etc.).  In  March-April  2025,  the  European  Commission  carried  out  a  Eurobarometer 
survey titled ‘Public opinion on urban challenges and investment in cities’ to gather evidence from the 
opinions of city dwellers to feed the EU Agenda for Cities. In addition, an Implementation dialogue 
was held with mayors and deputy mayors on 24 June 2025 as well as a high-level stakeholder dialogue 
on 18 June 2025 as part of the 6th edition of the Cities Forum.  

The  report  to  the  European  Parliament  and  Council  on  the  implementation  of  the  European  Urban 
Initiative  in  2022-2024,  and  other  reports  related  to  the  support  of  the  European  Union  to  local 
authorities were also taken into consideration. Relevant input from the other EU institutions and bodies 
was also considered. This included Council Conclusions, European Parliament reports, and opinions of 
the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee.  

2.  Feedback to the stakeholder consultation process  

2.1. Call for evidence  

A total of 193 responses were received from 27 countries, among which 23 EU Member States and 4 
non-EU countries (Moldova, Montenegro, Switzerland and United-Kingdom). Data were reviewed and 
processed  in  line  with  the  Better  Regulation  Toolbox.  Concerning  the  country  of  origin  of  the 
respondents, 39 respondents indicated Belgium, followed by Germany (23), France (21), Spain (17) 
and the Netherlands (15) (Figure 1). Figures 2 and 3 below provide information about all respondents 
by the type of stakeholder represented and the scope of public authorities represented.   

Figure 1. Number of replies to the call for evidence by country  

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Public authorities provided approximately 39% of the replies; non-governmental organisations another 
16%; EU citizens 12%, business associations 7%; companies/business organisations 5%; academic and 
research  institutions  3%;  environmental  organisations  2%  and  consumer  organisations  1%. 
Approximately  17%  of  respondents  self-identified  as  other  (e.g.  urban  initiatives  from  the  EU,  city 
associations or networks, thematic partnerships of the Urban Agenda for the EU, associations of urban 
planners).  

For stakeholders identifying as a public authority, the majority were local authorities (73%) and regional 
authorities (16%). National authorities represented 9% of the contributions, together with international 
organisations (1%).  

Figure 2. Responses to the call for evidence by 
type of stakeholder 

Figure 3. Scope of the public authorities’ responses 
to the call for evidence 

For  stakeholders  identifying  as  an  organisation  (approximately  31%  of  the  responses,  all  categories 
excluding  EU  citizens),  the  majority  were  large-sized  (44%)  and  small-sized  organisations  (28%). 
Medium-sized organisations made up 15% of the responses and 12% came from micro-organisations.   

A total of 87 documents (e.g. position papers) were submitted as part of the call for evidence to the 
European Commission. There were no discarded feedback responses to the call for evidence, and the 
feedback received was thus in line with the content of the call for evidence. This summary covers the 
complete set of papers received, coming from a range of the above-described stakeholders from EU 
Member  States  and  the  stakeholders  with  a  pan-EU  focus.  Contributions  submitted  to  the  call  for 
evidence are published on the Have your say portal1. Position papers were analysed in alignment with 
the content of the call for evidence. It concerns EU support for administrative capacity and financing 
needs of cities and how to liaise with cities to learn from their experience of implementing EU policies 
and legislation, as well as from their concerns about future EU proposals with the goal of avoiding the 
creation of contradictory effects on the ground.  

2.2. Targeted consultations  

During the consultation process, the European Commission – Executive Vice-President Fitto and the 
Directorate-General  for  Regional  and  Urban  Policy  - engaged  with  various  stakeholders in  order to 
carry out dialogues and consultation meetings, as well as to participate in relevant events to collect the 
views of stakeholders for the EU Agenda for Cities.  

1 Contributions received in the context of the call for evidence published on the ‘Have Your Say’ web portal cannot 
be regarded as the official position of the Commission and its services and thus does not bind the Commission nor 
that the contributions can be considered as a representative sample of the EU population. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
Further  information  is  provided  below  on  the  consultation  meetings  of  the  Directorate-General  for 
Regional Policy forming part of the consultation strategy.  

Meeting  

Main target group/participants  

Timing  

Consultation meeting  

Board of Energy cities  

Consultation meeting 

Brussels Capital Region (BE) 

5 February 2025 

7 February 2025 

Participation  in  the  meeting 
organised  by  the  EUKN  and 
the  Polish  Presidency  of  the 
European Council 

in 

the  event 
Participation 
the  German 
organised  by 
for  Housing, 
Association 
Urban 
Spatial 
and 
Development and the Federal 
Ministry 
Transport, 
of 
Building and Urban Affairs 

Roundtable convened between the EUKN,  the 
Polish Presidency of the European Council and 
representatives from Member States  

18 February 2025 

Local  and  regional  authorities,  representatives 
other 
from 
organisations,  EU 
networks,  EU 
institutions  

national  ministries 

city 

and 

19 February 2025 

Consultation meeting 

Association  of  Polish  cities  Związek  Miast 
Polskich – ZMP (PL) 

20 February 2025 

Consultation meeting  

MetroHUB Centre at Politecnico di Milano (IT)  4 March 2025  

Consultation meeting  

German Association of Cities (DE)  

5 March 2025 

Participation in the Intelligent 
Cities  Challenge  Mayors’ 
Business Forum 

leaders,  business  representatives  and 

City 
European policymakers 

6 March 2025 

Consultation meeting 

Eurocities 

11 March 2025 

Urban  Development  Group 
meeting  

Participation in the European 
Urban Forum 

European Parliament meeting  

Intergovernmental  cooperation  body  on  urban 
matters including EU Member States, umbrella 
associations  representing  local  authorities,  the 
Committee of the Regions, and relevant urban 
programmes from the EU 

The  European  Urban  Forum  is  one  of  the 
official  intergroups  nominated  for  the  current 
European  Parliamentary 
convening 
Members of the European Parliament and wider 
public,  including  representatives  from  local 
authorities  

term 

Regional  Minister  for  Housing  and  Urban 
Agenda  of  Basque  Country  Government  (ES) 
and MEPs 

13 March 2025 

18 March 2025 

19 March 2025 

Consultation meeting  

Mayors from the Metropolitan Arc of Barcelona 
(ES)  

19 March 2025 

Plenary meeting of the Expert 
Group on Urban Mobility  

from  national  authorities, 
Representatives 
networks and associations of representing local 
authorities 

25 March 2025 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
Consultation meeting 

Delegation from the city of Oulu / the regional 
council  of  Northern  Ostrobothnia 
the 
university of Oulu (FI) 

/ 

26 March 2025 

Consultation meeting  

ICLEI Europe mayors and deputy mayors  

27 March 2025 

Consultation meeting  

Consultation meeting  

European  Office  of 
Association (DE) 

the  German  County 

4 April 2025  

Representatives  from  the  cities  of  Helsinki, 
Vantaa, Espoo and Oulu (FI) 

14 April 2025 

Directors-General  for  Urban 
Matters meeting  

Consultation meeting  

Consultation meeting 

Consultation meeting  

Expert  Group  meeting  on 
Territorial  Cohesion 
and 
Urban Matters  

Intergovernmental  cooperation  body  on  urban 
matters including EU Member States, umbrella 
associations  representing  local  authorities,  the 
Committee of the Regions, and relevant urban 
programmes from the EU 

25 April 2025  

European  Bank 
Development (EBRD) 

for  Reconstruction  and 

25 April 2025 

Representative  from  the  German  Permanent 
Representation to the EU (DE) 

29 April 2025 

stakeholders 

German 
urban 
community,  urban  development  officers  and 
representation of the Federal State (DE) 

from 

the 

12 May 2025 

Representatives from EU Member States  

15 May 2025 

Consultation meeting  

Vice Mayor of Tallinn (EE) 

28 May 2025 

Urban  Development  Group 
meeting  

Intergovernmental  cooperation  body  on  urban 
matters including EU Member States, umbrella 
associations  representing  local  authorities,  the 
Committee of the Regions, and relevant urban 
programmes from the EU 

3 June 2025  

Consultation meeting  

Representatives  from  the  cities  of  Helsinki, 
Vantaa, Espoo and Oulu (FI)  

3 June 2025 

Participation  in  the  event  of 
the  Innovative  Small-  and 
Medium-sized Cities  

The annual event of this network gathers local 
authority representatives across the EU-27 

11 June 2025 

Consultation meeting 

Meeting  with  the  International Association  of 
Public Transport (UITP) 

12 June 2025 

Participation  in  the  meeting 
organised by Lille Metropole 
and  

Representatives  from  the  Lille  Metropolitan 
Region  representing  local  authorities  with  the 
participation of the Brussels Capital Region 

13 June 2025 

Cities forum 

Urban  stakeholders  from  local,  regional  and 
national 
sectorial 
levels;  umbrella 
associations representing local authorities 

and 

17-19 June 2025 

Consultation meeting  

Council  of  European  Municipalities  and 
Regions (CEMR) 

14 July 2025 

Consultation meeting 

Vice mayors from Delft, Rotterdam and Utrecht  16 July 2025 

5 

 
 
Consultation meeting  

Representatives from ICLEI 

Consultation meeting  

Representatives from Eurocities  

High level session – Shaping 
Europe’s  urban  future  at  the 
EURegions Week 

Stakeholders  from  all  levels  of  governments, 
umbrella and sectorial associations representing 
local authorities 

3 September 2025 

8 September 2025 

14 October 2025 

These consultation meetings consisted of bilateral meetings but also participation in events allowing for 
the  collection  of  views  and  reactions  from  different  stakeholders  on  the  aims  and  scope  of  the  EU 
Agenda  for  Cities.  Stakeholders  consulted  included  representatives  from  the  local  (either  European 
umbrella associations or sectoral ones), regional, and national levels, as well as representatives from 
the  European  Parliament,  the  European  Committee  of  the  Regions  and  the  EU financial institutions 
These  stakeholders  also  represented  different  geographical  areas  of  the  European  Union  and  urban 
realities.  

Cities forum 2025 

The 6th edition of the Cities forum, held from 17 to 19 June in Kraków, Poland, was the most significant 
milestone in the consultation process with stakeholders. This hybrid event acted as a platform to discuss 
both the implementation of Cohesion policy investments in sustainable urban development and other 
EU policy initiatives for cities, and to collect views on the future EU Agenda for Cities. The latter was 
achieved  through  session  discussions,  interactive  features  (questions  and  surveys  posed  to  the 
audience), as well as through an expression wall (i.e. a physical wall for posting ideas on sticky notes). 
Each  session  was  designed  to feed the  reflection  on the  EU Agenda  for  Cities whether  on thematic 
policy areas or operational and implementation aspects. In total, over 250 contributions were gathered, 
765 participants joined the event onsite, among which 532 city representatives from 36 countries, and 
the online programme benefitted from 1,831 online participants’ views. 

Implementation dialogue on Sustainable Urban Development of Cohesion policy  

An Implementation dialogue hosted by Executive Vice-President Fitto was held on 24 June 20252 in 
Brussels, Belgium, with the participation of Mayors, Deputy Mayors, and other elected representatives 
of local authorities. Organised against the backdrop of preparing the EU Agenda for Cities, this dialogue 
set the ground for working more closely with local authorities on implementation bottlenecks deriving 
from the Cohesion policy regulatory framework in the area of sustainable urban development, and for 
liaising closer with cities and supporting them to deliver results. 

Bilateral consultation meetings with EU Member States  

A dialogue with EU Member States on the preparation of the EU Agenda for Cities was ensured through 
the organisation of an expert group meeting on territorial cohesion and urban matters which took place 
on 15 May 2025. It was complemented by three meetings of the intergovernmental cooperation bodies 
on urban matters that dedicated an agenda point to this subject (on 13 March, 25 April and 3 June 2025). 
Feedback from Member States was also collected and shared with the European Commission through 
a questionnaire between 16 and 26 May 2025.   

Inputs by the European Parliament and EU advisory bodies  

On 28 January 2025, the European Parliament REGI committee hosted an exchange of views on the 
Eurocities  policy  statement  “A  strong  Cohesion  policy  promoting  urban  transformation”,  with  the 
Mayor of Utrecht, Sharon Dijksma.  

The European Committee of the Regions adopted the opinions “Metropolitan regions and functional 
urban  areas  as  socio-economic  drivers  of  sustainable  investment  in  the  2021-2027  Cohesion  policy 
framework” on 14 May 2025 and “Fostering the potential and synergies of the EU Green Deal initiatives 
for regions and cities” on 5 July 2023.  

2 Inforegio - Implementation dialogue on sustainable urban development of Cohesion policy 

6 

 
 
 
On  17  July  2025,  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  adopted  the  opinion  “Affordable 
housing: Cohesion policy, Urban Agenda and civil society  - Affordable housing: What can cohesion 
policy, the Urban Agenda and civil society do to ensure housing is affordable for everyone?”.  

Eurobarometer survey on cities  

The survey results of the Eurobarometer were published on 18 June 20253. They reveal issues about 
which urban populations are increasingly concerned: over half (51%) of city residents consider the ‘lack 
of affordable housing’ an urgent and immediate problem, followed by ‘unemployment or lack of job 
opportunities’  (33%),  ‘lack  of  quality  public  services’  (32%)  and  ‘poverty  or  homelessness’  (32%). 
Significant differences emerge across areas: while affordable housing remains the top concern in both 
cities and towns, the urgency is more acutely felt in cities (51%) than in towns and suburbs (37%) or 
rural areas (28%). Conversely, rural respondents cite the lack of quality public services (36%) as their 
top  concern. When  asked about  areas  in  need  of  improvement,  city  dwellers  point to  the  quality  of 
public services (42%) and safety in public spaces (36%) as priorities. Availability of affordable public 
transport and economic development and business opportunities are also key, each mentioned by 29% 
of respondents. 

Position papers  

The Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy has also received 8 documents (e.g. position 
papers) outside the call for evidence. These documents were considered as part of the overall analysis 
of position papers received by the Commission services in this consultation period. Further information 
is provided below.  

Organisation and subject of the policy paper  

Eurocities – Working paper on the EU policy agenda for cities  

Local alliance – Position paper on the future Multiannual Financial 
Framework 

Date 

21 January 2025  

28 January 2025  

Bologna – Reflection paper, Towards territorial missions in ESIF post-2027 

19 February 2025 

Eurocities – A competitive Europe starts in cities  

Mayors for housing - Key Requests   

ICLEI’s position on the role of cities and regions’ role in the EU’s 
competitiveness agenda 

Contribution from the European Urban Initiative 

Eurocities – Empowering cities through Cohesion  

20 February 2025 

1 March 2025 

27 March 2025  

23 May 2025  

10 July 2025 

2.3. Methodology and tools used for data processing 

To  analyse  the  content  received  through  the  European  Commission’s  call  for  evidence,  all  text 
submissions  and  uploaded  documents  were  first  exported  from  the  consultation  platform  into  a 
structured dataset. The total number of replies was counted, and responses were classified based on 
whether  they  included  additional  documents.  The  textual  content  was  pre-processed  to  ensure 
consistency. Three duplicates of the contributions were accounted for and removed. Respondents were 
then  categorised  by  stakeholder  type—such  as  NGOs,  businesses,  public  authorities,  and  individual 
citizens—and their countries of origin were identified to assess geographic representation.  

Additional contributions received through the consultation meetings, events and other types of inputs 
shared as part of the consultation process were analysed jointly with the material collected through the 
call for evidence process.  

3 Public opinion on urban challenges and investment in cities - June 2025 - Eurobarometer survey. 

7 

 
 
 
A thematic analysis was conducted using language processing techniques to identify recurring topics 
and concerns. Frequently mentioned keywords and phrases were extracted to support the identification 
of dominant themes. Uploaded documents and responses were processed using text mining and artificial 
intelligence tools to extract relevant information. Summarisation and cross-tabulation techniques were 
applied to explore the main themes and messages from the contributions, depending on the different 
stakeholder groups and countries.  

3.  Analysis of inputs - Summary of the feedback received  

Results  of  the  overall  consultation  activities  have  been  considered  jointly  for  the  purpose  of  this 
summary. They reveal in particular the consistency and alignment of the feedback received from each 
type of consultation and allow to identify four main types of considerations within the qualitative and 
interpretative analysis.  

3.1.  Feedback  on  EU  support  for  cities  and  other  urban  areas  in  the  area  of  administrative 
capacity  

The feedback received emphasised the need for enhanced technical assistance and capacity-building 
mechanisms tailored to cities of all sizes. Smaller municipalities face challenges due to limited human 
resources and administrative capacity, which hinders their ability to engage with EU programmes and 
implement  complex  policies.  Evidence  collected  provide  concrete  recommendations  which  include 
establishing  one-stop-shops  for  guidance,  simplifying  administrative  procedures,  and  creating  long-
term support structures such as help desks and peer learning platforms.  

Stakeholders  also  called  for  better  data  access  and  integration  to  support  evidence-based  decision-
making and monitoring of climate  and sustainability goals. This connects to the upcoming EU Data 
Strategy that will promote the use of data spaces as decentralised, trust-based systems to facilitate secure 
data sharing among organisations while allowing them to maintain control over their data. There is a 
strong demand for training programmes, digital tools, and strategic planning support to help cities align 
with EU objectives and improve local governance. 

During  the  Cities  forum,  in  the  area  of  administrative  capacity  building,  cities  and  other  urban 
stakeholders  expressed a need for resources to enhance digital infrastructure and develop smart city 
technologies. Contributions also stressed the importance of training city officials and staff to improve 
efficiency and service delivery. Effective data collection and management systems were identified as 
crucial for decision-making and planning processes. 

3.2. Feedback on financing needs for cities and other urban areas  

A recurring theme in the feedback received is the fragmentation of current EU funding mechanisms. 
Urban  stakeholders  and  networks  advocated  for  direct,  predictable,  and  flexible  funding  streams, 
especially for small and medium-sized municipalities. Many called for earmarking a significant portion 
of  EU  funds  for  city-led  initiatives,  expanding  existing  programmes,  and  creating  dedicated  urban 
investment platforms.  

Stakeholders stressed the importance of reducing co-financing burdens, streamlining access processes, 
and aligning funding with local planning cycles. Innovative financing models, such as blended finance 
and  public-private  partnerships,  were  proposed  to  support  long-term  urban  transformation.  Within 
contributions, a call was made for better coordination among funding instruments and simplification of 
access procedures to ensure equitable participation of cities of all sizes. 

During  the  Cities  forum,  urban  stakeholders  highlighted  the  urgent  need  for  increased  funding  to 
develop,  secure,  and  maintain  infrastructure  encompassing  roads,  public  transport  and  utilities.  A 
significant  call  was  made  for  financial  support  for  projects  focused  on  sustainability,  including 
renewable energy and green spaces. Several contributions emphasised the necessity for investment in 
affordable housing solutions to accommodate growing urban populations. 

8 

 
 
3.3. Feedback on the involvement of local authorities in the policymaking and legislative process  

Effective governance is seen as a cornerstone for successful urban policy. Stakeholders emphasised the 
need  for  structured  collaboration  between  local,  regional,  national,  and  EU  levels.  This  includes 
mechanisms  that  allow  cities  to  participate meaningfully in  shaping  and  implementing  EU  policies. 
Contributions  from  local  authorities  and  NGOs  representing  cities  argued  in  particular  for  a  better 
recognition of cities as strategic partners in the design and implementation of EU policies, calling for a 
shift from consultation to co-creation.  

Decentralisation  of  decision-making  abilities  is  also  a  recurring  theme,  with  cities  seeking  more 
autonomy  notably  for  resource  allocation.  Empowering  cities  to  act  independently  within  EU 
frameworks is seen as essential for responsive and effective governance. Stakeholders from the local 
level  proposed  the  establishment  of  permanent  platforms  for  dialogue  between  cities  and  EU 
institutions,  to  facilitate  feedback,  policy  alignment  and  shared  priority-setting,  ensuring  that  urban 
realities are better reflected in the EU policy and legislation. Local stakeholders and representatives also 
required  to  be  entrusted  with  policy  ownership,  including the  ability  to  select  and  manage  projects, 
monitor outcomes, and report on progress.  

During the Cities forum, participants called for strengthened cooperation between different levels of 
government to ensure coherent policy implementation and resource allocation. Emphasis was placed on 
increasing  citizen  participation  in  governance  to  ensure  transparency  and  responsiveness  to  public 
needs.  A  recognised  need  was  expressed  for  aligning  local  governance  policies  with  national  and 
international  frameworks  to  address  urban  challenges  comprehensively.  In  this  regard,  the  survey 
outcomes of the overall audience pointed to the need to address challenges posed by EU regulations on 
local authorities through implementation dialogues between cities, regions, Member States and the EU 
(35% of replies), in combination with other measures (cf. Figure 4).   

Figure 4. Results of the survey question from the Cities forum 2025 on improving multilevel governance 

3.4. Feedback on thematic policy areas  

Several key policy areas were emphasised as part of the feedback received, pointing to the need for EU 
action to deliver on policy goals and targets. Areas identified in contributions prove to be aligned with 
the policy areas identified in the Mission letter to Executive Vice-President Fitto when referring to the 
scope of the EU Agenda for Cities.  

Housing was identified as a critical area, with strong demand for EU support in affordable housing, 
including  funding  for  social  housing  and  circular  construction.  Evidence  provided  in  the  feedback 
received points to the rising inequalities and housing crises faced in urban areas across Europe. The 
European  Commission  is  asked  to  consider  further  social  equity  in  all  urban  policies,  supporting 
inclusive  neighbourhood  development,  affordable  housing  and  access  to  essential  services. 
Contributions  emphasised  the  need  to  direct  funding  toward  integrated  solutions  that  empower 

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vulnerable communities. Social inclusion and health were also emphasised, with proposals for funding 
inclusive  urban  development,  neighborhood  revitalisation  and  urban  health  initiatives.  Housing  was 
particularly  emphasised  in  contributions  from  Spain,  Portugal  and  Germany.  Housing  was  also 
mentioned mostly in contributions from public authorities, companies, business associations and other 
stakeholders.  

In the area of climate and energy, cities called for expanded support for Climate City Contracts of the 
EU  Mission  on  Climate-Neutral  and  Smart  Cities,  energy-efficient  renovations  and  nature-based 
solutions.  The  Commission  is  specifically  invited  to  prioritise  the  latter  as  well  as  circular 
infrastructures and green urban planning. Urban stakeholders’ contributions highlight the urgency of 
climate mitigation and adaptation. Cities should be supported in implementing Climate City Contracts 
and in integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into urban development. Climate action is evoked 
mostly in contributions from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Denmark, Italy, Slovenia, 
Sweden,  Estonia,  Czechia,  Croatia,  Greece,  Ireland  and  Portugal.  Additionally,  contributions  from 
urban stakeholders stressed the importance of integrated food policies and sustainable urban greening 
strategies  to  enhance  resilience,  security  and  quality  of  life  in  cities.  Integrated  urban  planning  and 
citizens participation are recurring subjects in contributions from NGOs, EU citizens, public authorities, 
business associations and other stakeholders.  

Digitalisation was another key area, with digital transformation identified as a central element to urban 
innovation.  Stakeholders  called  for  investment  in  secure  digital  infrastructure,  interoperable  public 
services  and  smart  city  initiatives.  The  European  Commission  was  asked  to  further  promote  data 
sovereignty as strategic infrastructure, enabling cities to harness artificial intelligence and digital tools 
for systemic innovation in accordance with the Network and Information Security (NIS2) Directive. 

In the area of urban mobility and sustainable transport, mobility reform is highlighted as a cornerstone 
of urban sustainability. Contributors urged the European Commission to support multimodal transport 
systems,  shared  mobility  and  low-emission  zones,  and  to  integrate  last-mile  delivery  solutions. 
According  to  the  feedback  received,  EU  policy  should  facilitate  regulatory  harmonisation  and 
infrastructure investment to enable cities to lead the transition to clean and connected mobility. Urban 
mobility was particularly evoked in contributions from France, Estonia and Ireland. Among the types 
of stakeholders which contributed, this topic was mostly brought up by NGOs, companies, business 
associations, public authorities and other organisations.  

In  addition,  the  contributors  advocated  for  a  shift  from  fragmented  projects  to  mission-driven 
approaches that align local actions with EU strategic goals. The  European Commission is invited to 
promote  integrated  urban  missions  —  such  as  climate  neutrality,  social  inclusion  and  digital 
transformation — anchored in place-based realities and supported by coherent funding and governance 
frameworks. This approach is particularly present in contributions from Belgium, Finland and Italy.  

During the Cities forum, contributions in relation to specific policy areas were gathered in particular 
regarding economic prosperity and competitiveness, climate action, social inclusion, mobility, housing, 
culture  and  digitalisation.  Some  additional  areas  of  consideration  were  identified  compared  to  the 
content of the call for evidence feedback as follows:  

In the area of economic prosperity and competitiveness, some contributions focused on creating policies 
that  foster  innovation  and  support  the  growth  of  startups,  including  supporting  incubators  and 
accelerators within urban areas. A call for initiatives was made that aimed at job creation, particularly 
in  emerging  sectors  such  as  green  technologies  and  information  technology,  alongside  vocational 
training  programmes  to  equip  workers  with  necessary  skills.  Emphasis  was  placed  on  developing 
inclusive  economic  policies  that  promote  equal  opportunities  and  reduce  socioeconomic  disparities 
among people living in cities. Contributors also highlighted the importance of embedding sustainability 
into urban planning, including the development of eco-friendly buildings and the preservation of natural 
habitats within city environments. The need for effective resource management policies was recognised 
that  encourage  recycling,  waste  reduction  and  efficient  energy  use.  In  the  area  of  urban  mobility, 
participants underscored the importance of creating seamless connections between different modes of 
transport, such as buses, trains, and cycling paths, to enhance mobility and accessibility. Contributions 
highlighted  the  need  for  urban  planning  and  policies  that  prioritises  the  electrification  of  public 

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transport,  pedestrian  safety  and  comfort.  Participants  discussed  the  necessity  of  developing 
comprehensive emergency preparedness plans to swiftly respond to health crises, natural disasters and 
other unforeseen events.  A significant emphasis  was placed  on strengthening public health systems, 
including the expansion of healthcare facilities and improving access to essential services for all city 
residents.  

Figure 5. Main issues addressed in the contributions received on the EU Agenda for Cities.  

4.  Highlights on the contributions from local and regional authorities  

Local and regional authorities largely contributed to this consultation process by providing evidence 
and recommendations and by sharing their challenges and needs concerning the delivery of EU policies 
and  legislation  at  sub-national  level.  Across  Europe,  local  and  regional  authorities  consistently 
emphasised  the critical  role  cities  and  metropolitan  areas  play in  implementing  EU  priorities, 
particularly in areas such as climate action, digital transformation, social inclusion and competitiveness. 
Their  combined  feedback,  collected  through  the  different  consultation  activities,  highlights  several 
recurring themes:  

•  Recognition and inclusion in EU policymaking 

Local and regional authorities are key implementers of EU policies and legislation. Authorities called 
for  a  formal  recognition  of  cities as  strategic  partners  in  the  EU  governance,  with structured  and 
permanent  dialogue  mechanisms (e.g.,  organisation  of  annual  Mayors’  Summits,  Urban  sounding 
boards).  A  strong  demand  was  made  for urban  impact  assessments and multilevel  governance 
frameworks that include cities from the outset in the policy design. 

•  Direct and simplified access to EU funding 

Local  authorities  in  particular  requested direct  access  to  EU  funds,  including  earmarked  allocations 
(e.g. 15%  of  cohesion  policy  funds)  for  city-led  initiatives.  The  complexity  and  fragmentation  of 
funding  instruments  are  major  barriers;  the  establishment  of  one-stop-shops and streamlined 
procedures were  widely  proposed.  Authorities  advocated  for flexible  financing  tools (grants,  loans, 
guarantees) and performance-based funding models tailored to urban realities. 

•  Strengthening capacity and technical support 

Many  cities,  especially  small  and  medium-sized  ones,  face limited  administrative  and  technical 
capacity. A  recurring  call  was  made  for coordinated  capacity-building  programmes,  including  peer 
learning,  technical  assistance  and  simplified  access  to  EU  support.  Proposals  included  creating 
a Technical  Support  Instrument  (TSI) for  cities  and  expanding  initiatives  like  URBACT  and  the 
European Urban Initiative (EUI). 

• 

Integrated and place-based approaches 

Local  and  regional  authorities  stressed  the  need  for mission-oriented  and  place-based  strategies that 
align EU goals with local priorities, and some requested dedicated urban chapters. Successful models 
like the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) of Cohesion policy and Climate City Contracts of the 

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EU  Mission  on  Climate-Neutral  and  Smart  Cities  were  cited  as  examples  for  scaling  up.  Cities 
advocated for cross-sectoral collaboration and territorial flexibility, especially in functional urban areas 
and metropolitan regions. 

•  Bridging urban-rural and territorial gaps 

Local authorities stressed in particular their role in territorial cohesion, connecting urban and rural areas 
through infrastructure, services and innovation. A concern about intra-regional inequalities was raised, 
with  calls to refocus  Cohesion  policy  on  urban  poverty and housing  shortages. This  topic  came  out 
particularly from local and regional stakeholders compared to other types.  

•  Governance reform and institutional support 

Local  and  regional  authorities  pointed  to  the  need  to  ensure  coherent  support  from  the  EU  level. 
Strengthening local autonomy and reducing bureaucratic burdens were seen as essential improvements 
for effective policy implementation. 

5.  Conclusion  

The consultation activities summarised in this synopsis report provide a non-exhaustive overview of 
the  outcomes  of  the  call  for  evidence  and  other  consultation  activities  carried  out  in  the  context  of 
preparing the EU Agenda for Cities. The stakeholders had a wide range of opportunities to share their 
views, concerns and ideas for action that were thoroughly considered by the European Commission.  

The  consultation  process  unveiled  significant  insights  critical  for  shaping  the  future  of  EU  cities. 
Stakeholders  consistently  highlighted  the  need  for  streamlined  EU  funding  mechanisms  and  direct 
support for small and medium-sized cities to foster sustainable urban development. A strong call was 
made for recognising cities as strategic partners in EU policy design, advocating for a transition from 
mere consultation of cities to co-creation with cities. The emphasis placed on enhancing and securing 
digital  infrastructure,  integrating  smart  city  technologies  and  training  city  officials  illustrates  the 
urgency to bolster local governance and service delivery. Additionally, stakeholders underscored the 
necessity  for  cohesive  urban  policies  that  prioritise  climate  adaptation  and  mitigation,  nature-based 
solutions, and renewable energy investments. Concerns about fragmented funding and complex access 
procedures  underscore  the  demand  for  simplified,  flexible  and  predictable  EU  funding  streams  for 
cities. These collective insights emphasise the importance of aligning local actions with EU strategic 
goals, laying a robust foundation for urban transformation.  

The  table  below  provides  a  summary  of  the  key  considerations  extracted  from  all  the  consultation 
activities.  

Theme 

Funding 

Governance 

Innovation 

Key considerations from the feedback received  

Stakeholders  consistently  emphasised  the  need  for  necessary  and  improved 
funding mechanisms and financial instruments tailored to cities. This includes 
simplified access to EU funds, long-term investment strategies and direct support 
for  urban  transformation  projects.  Cities  require  predictable,  flexible  and 
accessible  funding  to  implement  climate,  digital,  and  social  initiatives 
effectively. 

Effective  governance  and  multi-level  coordination  are  seen  as  essential  for 
policy implementation. Stakeholders stressed the importance of involving cities 
in  EU  policymaking,  fostering  partnerships  across  governance  levels  and 
enabling  cities  to  act  as  co-creators  of  policy.  Structured  engagement  and 
decentralisation are key recommendations. 

Innovation is viewed as a driver of urban transformation and its resilience. Cities 
seek  support  and  improved  security  for  digital  infrastructure,  smart  city 
initiatives and experimentation with new technologies. Stakeholders advocated 
for mission-oriented approaches and stronger links between research, innovation 
and deployment to scale up successful solutions and foster competitiveness. 

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Housing 

Cohesion 

Climate 

Housing affordability and quality are identified as urgent issues. Stakeholders 
called  for 
inclusive  housing  policies,  energy-efficient  renovations  and 
mechanisms to counteract property price speculation and gentrification in cities. 
The  EU  is  encouraged  to  support  cities  in  addressing  housing  shortages  and 
promoting sustainable urban regeneration. 

Social  cohesion  and  inclusion  are  emphasised  as  foundational  to  urban 
development.  Contributions  highlighted  the  need  for  reducing  inequalities, 
supporting vulnerable populations and fostering inclusive public services, and 
for  addressing  intra-regional  disparities  and  promote  balanced  territorial 
development. 

Climate  action  is  a  central  concern,  with  cities  positioned  as  key  actors  in 
achieving climate neutrality. Contributions called for support for nature-based 
solutions,  circular  economy  practices  and  integrated  planning  to  mitigate  and 
adapt to climate change.  

Green 
development 

urban 

Green  urban  development  is  a  recurring  theme,  encompassing  environmental 
sustainability, biodiversity and access to green spaces. Stakeholders advocated 
for  investments  in  green  infrastructure,  nature-based  solutions  and  ecological 
restoration to enhance resilience and quality of life in cities. 

Mobility 

Mobility  and  transport  infrastructure  are  frequently  mentioned,  with  calls  for 
investment in sustainable public transport, multimodal hubs and active mobility 
solutions. Contributors emphasised the role of mobility in reducing emissions, 
improving connectivity and supporting inclusive urban development. 

All input received from stakeholders was analysed and considered in the preparation of the EU Agenda 
for Cities. 

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