Irish Regions Office Website

June 25, 2010

Ministerial Declaration brings cities to EU forefront

As expected (see last month's Bulletin), the informal meeting of EU ministers for housing and urban development held in Toledo on 21-22 June is being hailed as a major milestone in bringing cities into the frontline of EU policy making.
The Toledo Declaration, signed by Ministers at the meeting, spells out the Member States' shared commitment to promoting integrated urban regeneration and to strengthening the sustainable urban dimension of EU Cohesion Policy - mainly through greater involvement by cities in shaping and implementing any future Structural Fund operational programmes. This would reflect a smart, sustainable and socially inclusive vision of urban development in line with the EUROPE 2020 objectives.

The meeting also saw EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn further outline his vision for future Cohesion Policy. In a speech entitled 'Cities delivering smart, sustainable and socially inclusive growth - Towards a strong urban dimension of EU Cohesion Policy' which underlined the importance of sustainable and integrated urban development, the Commissioner particularly stressed the key role to be played by cities in delivering the Europe 2020 vision of green, smart and socially inclusive growth. ''We need to consolidate a European urban agenda which puts our cities and towns in the position of drivers of growth and sustainable development''he commented, describing this objective as one of his political priorities.

The Commissioner has been increasingly forceful in recent times in his support for the appropriate district, city or regional level being empowered to address their various issues in an all-round manner rather than in purely sectoral isolation. This stance is largely based on the Lisbon Treaty's new aim of achieving territorial cohesion across the EU which has given new emphasis to the role of local and regional authorities in turning place potential into socio-economic performance.

Toledo Declaration

Hahn speech

Posted by iroronan at June 25, 2010 04:38 PM