News & Events

At Cities Forum 2025, more than 200 in-person and online participants joined the session “Unlocking urban potential through European Cooperation”. The session, organised by the Urban Agenda for the EU, focused on how multilevel governance and cooperation can help cities address major urban challenges.

Representatives from six different Thematic Partnerships shared concrete examples of how the Urban Agenda serves as a unique and impactful tool to promote sustainable urban development and enhance the role of cities in EU policymaking, by fostering collaboration across all levels of governance and among diverse stakeholders.

The Urban Agenda for the EU will launch a Call for partners to join the new Thematic Partnership on “Compact Cities - Sustainable Urban Planning and Sprawl Mitigation” on 27 August.
To help potential applicants better understand the topic, we interviewed Ivana Katurić, the external expert behind the Ex-Ante Assessment (EAA), the analysis that underpins this Partnership by clarifying its scope and providing focus in preparation for the upcoming call.

Dive into the full article to learn more about her insights on the topic of the new Partnership.

Urban areas across the EU increasingly face complex challenges (e.g., shortage of affordable housing, urgent climate adaptation measures, gaps in inclusive and accessible social services) that demand effective and sustainable funding solutions. Municipalities, particularly small and medium-sized ones, often find it difficult to navigate and access the intricate web of EU programmes and funding mechanisms.

On 16–17 June 2025, the Urban Agenda for the EU Partnership on Greening Cities gathered in Krakow for its 7th in-person meeting. At a key moment in its trajectory—when first outputs are being delivered and major deliverables are in sight—the Partnership came together to align on Action implementation, coordinate the development of its final outputs, and shape its upcoming advocacy and dissemination strategy.

On 16 May 2025, the Directors-General on Urban Matters (DGUM) formally endorsed the Ex-Ante Assessment (EAA) on the topic of Compact Cities – Sustainable Urban Planning and Sprawl Mitigation, marking a significant step toward establishing a new Thematic Partnership under the Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU).

Roughly half a year into their partnership period the two newest Thematic Partnerships on Water Sensitive City and Building Decarbonisation partnerships are advancing their work.

On May 26–27, the Building Decarbonisation (BD) Partnership held its first in-person meeting in Mechelen, Belgium, bringing together stakeholders from local, regional, national, and EU levels. The gathering aimed to accelerate progress on the Orientation Paper and lay the groundwork for future collaborative actions.

On 21 May 2025, EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion, and urban policy met in Warsaw for an informal gathering under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The meeting highlighted the importance of integrating the territorial dimension into post-2027 EU policies and financial frameworks.

On 12–13 May, the Urban Agenda Partnership on Innovative and Responsible Public Procurement held an in-person meeting to advance the implementation of its new Action Plan. The City of Haarlem, which coordinates the Partnership, welcomed 34 partners and associates to Zaamen, a vibrant venue and local entrepreneurial hub in the heart of the city.

Tourism is changing. Fast.

From smart booking systems and AI-powered itineraries to immersive digital storytelling, the way we experience and manage destinations is being transformed at a pace few could have predicted even five years ago. Digital tools are no longer “nice to have.” They are central to competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability.

And yet, many tourism departments and professionals across Europe are still navigating this transition without a clear map.

On May 13-14 2025, the Water Sensitive City (WSC) Partnership met in Coimbra for its first in-person meeting, bringing together local, regional, national and EU-level actors. The meeting aimed to advance the work of the partners on the Orientation Paper and pave the way for future actions.

The Food and Cities of Equality Partnerships of the Urban Agenda invite you to join the public consultation for their draft Action Plans and provide your insights and feedback on the proposed Actions aimed at addressing key urban challenges.