European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Common Urban Policy
Launch of an Urban Agenda for the EU
Written by Christiaan van Lierop, Our towns and cities are home to nearly three quarters of the EU’s population and most EU policies concern them, be it directly or indirectly. Within the EU, a shared vision of urban development has gradually taken shape at inter-governmental level. At the same time there have been increasing calls … Continue reading
The EU Urban Agenda
Written by Sorina Silvia Ionescu Cities play a central role in the development and competitiveness of European regions. More than 70% of Europeans live in urban areas, and cities are the focal point of economic growth, innovation and entrepreneurship. Recognising the importance of urban issues and the challenges cities increasingly face, a debate on an urban … Continue reading
The international dimension of European Urban Policy
Written by Isabel Moran Vidal Cities in the European Union Nowadays, 71.7% of the population of the European Union (EU) lives in urban areas . Cities play an important role in implementing policies related to culture, economic and social development, climate and environment. Moreover, in order to achieve the goals stated in Europe 2020 , … Continue reading
Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture
Urban and peri-urban agriculture has been defined as the cultivation of crops and rearing of animals for food and other uses within and surrounding the boundaries of cities, including fisheries and forestry. It comprehends a multifunctional of food production activities, as well as herbs, medicinal and ornamental plants for both home consumption and for the … Continue reading
Sustainable Urban Development
Smart growth, green growth and inclusive growth are the three pillars of sustainability. An urban integrated approach rather than a sectorial one is needed to ensure the success of the policy. Urban policy has to provide cities in Europe with instruments to achieve the right balance between the social, economic and environmental dimensions. This Keysource … Continue reading
What is a city? In focus on urban areas
What has anything from around 700 people to more than 17,000,000 and can cover from 0,44 square metres to more than 2,500 square kilometers? Cities: whether a huge metropolis, a national capital or a historic town or port – cities have much in common. The typologies proposed for Europe’s cities by various organisations all have their … Continue reading
Cities and demography
Demographic changes, population migration, urban shrinkage, integration of migrants, adaptation of infrastructure to population’s growth are challenges Europe’s cities will have to tackle in the future. This Keysource includes selected reports, studies and analyses as well as statistical data on demographic change in EU’s cities. Overviews Demographic Challenges for European Regions: The Role of the … Continue reading
European Union’s Cities – a typology
There are many typologies of Europe’s cities suggested by different organisations and they all have their limitations. Some organisations (EU and OECD) have agreed on a common methodology for defining cities which allows for the first time a comparison of the number of cities and the share of population in them on a harmonised basis … Continue reading
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