Dossiers
Currently, EUKN is entering a new phase. One of the main objectives of this new phase is to strengthen EUKN as a ‘learning platform’. EUKN as an urban learning platform enables urban professionals and practitioners to access valuable knowledge on a wide range of urban issues and actively engage with other urban professionals. Through an interactive approach EUKN contributes to capacity building and enhances the effectiveness of urban policy initiatives. The development of topical knowledge dossiers forms part of this process.
The dossiers consist of a collection of international good practices and research documents; 2 to 3 interviews; EU documents; relevant statistics, and policy/practices on the theme in the National Focal Points.
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Sustainable Urban Mobility
Going to work, meeting friends, dropping children off at school, taking guitar lessons, playing football…people are continuously on the move, especially in cities. On a daily base urban transport systems are used intensively. Generally urban residents have many choices when it comes to moving from A to B: driving, taking a bus, metro or tram or train, cycling, walking or even roller-skating. However, this choice greatly influence the way the city functions, how liveable it is and how sustainable it is. European cities are confronted with problems caused by transport and traffic. They are standing for a challenge to enhance mobility, ensure accessibility of people and create high quality, efficient transport services. At the same time they need to minimize and reduce congestion, accidents, pollution and preserving quality of life. A wide range of innovative concepts for making urban transport more efficient, competitive and sustainable have been developed in Europe. In the past few years, urban mobility has become an increasingly popular topic.
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Integration of ethnic minorities and migrants
The European Union accommodates presently people from different kind of ethnic backgrounds. To mention only a few: the Roma, labour migrants from third countries (i.e. Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia) and more recently from South- East Europe, and migrants and refugees from Asia, Latin America and Africa. This implies that the EU increasingly has to deal with the integration of migrants and ethnic minorities, to both safeguard their socio-economic position and participation in society and (from a more local perspective) to preserve a stable and diverse society. Hence, the integration of ethnic minorities and migrants has been a key issue on European, national and local political agendas.
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Demographic Change
The impact of an ageing population and mass migration are felt throughout Europe‟s society. Simultaneously, growing big cities and population decline (shrinking cities) will have enormous physical, social and economic implications for European urban structures. With population decline, for instance, the need for public facilities and the housing need are falling. However, European countries are affected in different ways and deal differently with the challenges it poses. In other words, the impact of demographic change will differ from region to region.
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EU presidencies
This page provides all the basic documents, achievements, interviews and thematic dossiers in the framework of the EU presidencies.
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MLG
In cooperation with the Belgian Presidency, EUKN has published a book publication based on the outcomes of the “Multilevel Urban Governance” conference in Liège, which took place on the 1st and 2nd of December 2010. The book is titled Multilevel Urban Governance - Handbook Theory & Practice and is available as off the 20th of September 2011.
The publication focuses both on theoretical and practical aspects of multilevel governance. Experts Tuna Taşan-Kok and Jan Vranken have provided insights in the concept and mechanism of multilevel governance in the Handbook for Multilevel Urban Governance in Europe. Subsequently, practical cases have been interpreted and reviewed within the analytical framework. Based on the outcomes of the theoretical framework and the practices, recommendations have been formulated by Simon Güntner, Iván Tosics, Mart Grisel and Frans van de Waart in Multilevel Urban Governance or the Art of Working Together - Methods, Instruments and Practices. The publication aims to stimulate the ongoing debate on multilevel governance in the field of urban policy.