Roundup: Cities need stronger voice in EU policies, more funds, say EU ministers

European cities need a stronger voice in European Union (EU) policy making and increased access to funds to cope with increasingly pressing economic and refugee challenges, EU ministers for urban development agreed on Monday.

"We are facing today tough economic, migration and social challenges and cities which are home to two thirds of the European population are often at the forefront of these challenges and have unique insight on how to address these issues," said Corina Cretu, the European commissioner for regional policy, following the adoption of the "Pact of Amsterdam" by the EU ministers of urban development at their informal meeting held in the Dutch capital.

The pact marked the launch of a EU Urban Agenda aiming at providing a platform where cities, member states, the European Commission, regional and urban authorities and other stakeholders work together to provide solutions to pressing problems. The agenda is expected to be endorsed by EU leaders during the next summit at the end of June.

A total of 15 billion euros (16.8 billion U.S. dollars) of EU regional funds have been allocated for the period 2014-2020 to be directly managed by cities for urban sustainable development projects. Cooperation through the Amsterdam Pact could also help cities, which lack experience in managing EU funds, to respond to the challenge, said the European commissioner.

According to Dutch Minister of Internal Affairs Ronald Plasterk, whose country holds the current EU presidency, the Pact consists of three cornerstones -- more active participation by the cities in decision making, good access to existing funding and knowledge-sharing.

"It is not Europe that decides; it is not the member states collectively but all the layers together, including the regions, the cities, the countries, the Commission, the institutions," Plasterk told reporters.

EU's Urban Agenda intends to provide an operational framework and effective instruments to improve the urban dimension in European policymaking. This includes better policies, territorial impact assessment, more tailor made and place sensitive EU-funds. It also includes opportunities to exchange knowledge and best practices, research and cooperation.

Inclusion of migrants and refugees, urban poverty, housing and air quality are priorities in the first phase themes, where projects are already under way. In the coming period, similar partnerships will be set up to address urban mobility, digital transition and sustainable energy.

Others of the Agenda's 12 priorities include jobs in the local economy, circular economy, climate adaptation, sustainable use of land and nature-based solutions, energy transition, digital transition, innovative and responsible public procurement.

Projects on all these priorities are expected to be launched this year, Cretu said.

More than 72 percent of Europeans live in cities, while 80 percent of EU citizens are expected to live in towns and cities by 2050. With the current European trend towards urbanization, the importance of cities and regions is set to continue to grow, Raffaele Cattaneo, chairman of the commission for territorial cohesion policy and EU budget (COTER) told reporters.

In addition 85 percent of Europe's GDP is produced by urban areas. "Europe does not exist without urban areas. We have to involve them in policy making," said Cattaneo, who represents 350 local authorities, including cities, regions, and provinces.

"Without the contribution of the local authorities it is difficult to cope with the refugee crisis," Cattaneo added. As he noted migrants and refugees don't arrive in large cities, they arrive on concrete places usually in small villages, which need strong support by governments to cope with the massive arrivals.

He also called for more involvement of the greater European regions in decision making. "It should be decided that regions are represented in informal ministerial meetings," he said. Endit