Birmingham is vice chair, alongside Vienna who is chair, of a new EUROCITIES taskforce on the EU Urban Agenda. The role of the taskforce is to lead EUROCITIES’ input into the EU urban agenda to ensure that the urban issues are fully recognised and reflected in all relevant areas of European policy.

The taskforce is also planning how EUROCITIES will work with the EU institutions on the EU urban agenda, particularly the new Parliament and Commission which will come to office later this year. The taskforce is developing a strategy for engaging with MEPs in the new mandate, to ensure that the activities of MEPs and EUROCITIES are mutually supportive.

The taskforce is also developing a more detailed policy position on the EU urban agenda. Some of the issues which have been discussed include, amongst other issues: the proposal to nominate an urban envoy in the European Commission; the role of the Parliament’s urban intergroup; the need to improve urban data; and the coordination and governance of urban policies at national level.

24/04/14