News & Events

Urban planning is no longer just a local concern; it has become a shared responsibility among local, regional, and national authorities. These actors are instrumental in implementing EU policies that shape how urban spaces develop. The new Thematic Partnership on "Compact Cities – Sustainable Urban Planning and Sprawl Mitigation" aims to promote dense, efficient, and sustainable urban development as a strategic response to the widespread challenge of urban sprawl across Europe.

But what exactly does this new Partnership focus on? What are the benefits of joining? If you're still uncertain, read on. This article explores the objectives, practical examples, and key advantages of participating in this important initiative.

In the warm, late-summer light of Crete, the City of Heraklion welcomed representatives from across Europe for the 23rd meeting of the Sustainable Tourism Partnership. Overlooking the sea and surrounded by a land that has shaped history for millennia, the city offered more than a venue, it offered a mindset: that tourism is not a product, but a living process, shaped by the people and places at its core.

The Urban Agenda Partnership on Innovative and Responsible Public Procurement has released two key outputs as part of the new Action Plan 2025–2028:
1) A position paper aimed at strengthening sustainability and innovation in EU procurement rules
2) A survey designed to identify funding gaps that hinder strategic public procurement

Dive into the article to learn more and share your input through the survey.

Urban authorities, regions, Member States, Partner States, umbrella organisations, and other relevant stakeholders are invited to apply and join the new Thematic Partnership under the Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU) on Compact Cities - Sustainable Urban Planning and Sprawl Mitigation.

The Partnership will bring together stakeholders from the public and private sectors, urban authorities, academia, and non-governmental organisations, with the aim of promoting dense, efficient, and sustainable urban development in response to the challenge of urban sprawl across Europe.

Curious about what the Urban Agenda for the EU Partnerships have produced in practice?
An initial mapping now offers a clear overview of the diverse types of outputs produced by the Thematic Partnerships. This curated collection highlights practical resources available to support initiatives across various fields of sustainable urban development.

As Europe’s cities navigate the transition toward climate resilience, the Greening Cities Partnership will take part in this year’s European week of Regions and Cities, with two dynamic sessions. These sessions will highlight cutting-edge tools and strategies that are shaping the cities of tomorrow. Under the theme “Cities Building Tomorrow,” participants will explore how to make green infrastructure investment-ready and how to transform data into actionable urban greening initiatives.
The European Urban Initiative will host more events to equip urban actors with the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to drive real change.

As Europe enters the peak of the 2025 tourist season, with already reporting record arrivals and over-tourism pressures mounting, this is the ideal moment to turn attention to the concrete work of the Sustainable Tourism Partnership under the Urban Agenda for the EU.

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.