Belgium currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Its presidency began with a meeting of around 40 mayors from European cities and metropolitan regions. The participants signed the Brussels Declaration of European Mayors 2024, which aims to help strengthen European urban policy.
Over 40 mayors signed the Brussels Declaration of European Mayors 2024 in Brussels in January. Credit: flickr
2024 is a big year for the European Union, as the European Parliament is due to be re-elected. This will also result in the formation of a new college. To mark the occasion, Brussels organized a high-level event on 24 January 2024 entitled “A European Urban Policy for the Future”. Together with 40 mayors from European cities and metropolitan areas, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU drew up the joint Brussels Declaration of European Mayors 2024. This document is intended to highlight the important role of cities and metropolitan regions in European politics. At the same time, it formulates expectations for a sustainable European policy. This includes six specific recommendations for European urban policy.
An ambitious and effective European urban policy
Numerous actors relevant to European urban policy took part in the meeting and signed the declaration. These included, for example, Rudi Vervoort, Minister-President of the Brussels Region; Burkhard Jung, President of the Eurocities network of cities and Lord Mayor of Leipzig; and Wolfram Leibe, Lord Mayor of the City of Trier and Deputy of the German Association of Cities and Towns.
The Brussels Declaration of European Mayors 2024 begins by reaffirming the common goal: “We, the mayors of cities, the presidents of metropolitan regions and the representatives of city associations across Europe, call with this declaration on all European institutions to pursue an ambitious and effective European urban policy in the future European political mandate 2024-2029.”
According to the declaration, an ambitious and effective European urban policy is based on preserving and implementing urban policy. Documents such as the New Leipzig Charter, the Urban Agenda for the EU, the Territorial Agenda 2030, the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus provide the framework for this. The declaration also calls for a “structured, binding dialog between the European institutions and cities” and a paradigm shift towards a sustainable model with greater involvement of cities. It reaffirms the commitment to respect and promote the fundamental values of the EU.
Four political priorities until 2029
Next, the declaration addresses the challenges for an ambitious European urban policy. This includes urbanization, as around 80 percent of the European population could be living in urban areas by 2050. Accordingly, cities and metropolitan areas have an important role to play in achieving EU goals such as climate neutrality by 2050 and the protection of biodiversity. The Brussels Declaration of European Mayors 2024 also emphasizes that urban policy plays a key role in reducing social, economic and territorial inequalities and bridging the urban-rural divide.
The Brussels Declaration sets out four political priorities for the EU mandate 2024 to 2029. These support the objectives of the New Leipzig Charter for fair, productive and green cities. According to the Brussels Declaration of European Mayors, these priorities should be pursued
- Promoting the right to affordable, quality and sustainable housing;
- Combating social and gender inequalities and promoting inclusion;
- Combating climate change, ensuring a healthy environment and restoring biodiversity;
- Developing safe, inclusive and sustainable mobility
Belgium holds the Presidency of the European Council until June 2024 and wants to use the time to strengthen the EU's urban policy. Credit: flickr
Already over 40 signatures
In addition to these priorities, the Brussels Declaration also formulates six recommendations for the EU mandate 2024 to 2029, which are aimed at European institutions and are intended to integrate urban issues more effectively into policy areas and institutions in the future. The aim is to optimize the participation of local governments in EU policy and decision-making processes.
Systematic and more structured, binding dialog and involvement of local governments at European level
- Better integration and coordination of urban affairs at European level
- More city-friendly EU regulations
- More accessible and city-friendly EU funding
- Promotion of metropolitan governance
- Paradigm shift: striving for a new sustainable model that includes appropriate indicators and enables the transition to fair, productive and green cities
On January 24, 2024, the Brussels Declaration of European Mayors was signed, having already undergone a co-creative process. Numerous European cities and stakeholders participated. During the Presidency, the Brussels Capital Region aims to defend and support these recommendations.
Cities are invited to sign the declaration online. Currently, over 40 mayors from 19 EU member states have already signed.
Focus on affordable housing in European cities
Under the Belgian Presidency from January to June 2024, cities are to play a greater role in the EU. In the coming weeks and months, Brussels will call on more and more cities to sign the Brussels Declaration of European Mayors. The priorities and recommendations will be presented at other events such as the Summit of Cities and Region in March or the European Forum for Urban Safety in Brussels. The Presidency has also declared that it will provide technical support for European urban policy, for example at meetings with planning agencies.
The signing of the Brussels Declaration is a clear sign for the future: cities will pay close attention to how the European Commission and Parliament implement their recommendations. A particular focus will be on affordable, high-quality and sustainable housing, a major challenge for European cities.
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