2007

Eurocities and CEMR move in together

From the start of April, the Eurocities Brussels Office and the Council ofEuropean Municipalities and Regions are based in a new premises. It isofficially named "The House of Cities, Municipalities and Regions". Not justEurocities and CEMR will be housed in the office building, but a whole range oflarge cities and national associations of local and regional governments fromsome 20 European countries.

EP hearing on juvenile delinquency focuses on prevention and rehabilitation

Prevention is the key to solving the problem of young offenders. This is theopinion of the European Parliament’s (EP) Women's Rights Committee, voiced at apublic hearing on juvenile delinquency. The hearing took place on 20 March 2007in Brussels. The meeting was organised to serve as input for an EP owninitiative report to be written by MEP Katerina Batzeli.

Increased attention for violence and racism in sport

Politicians, academics, NGOs and sport federations are all calling for moreattention to violence and racism around sport events. The Council of Europe(CoE) is organising a conference on 'Sports, Violence and Racism in Europe' on2-5 April 2007. The European Parliament recently adopted an own-initiativereport on security in international football matches.

Map for city migration now on-line

Which cities around the world attract most immigrants? The Global CityMigration Map Tool provides an easy-to-understand visual of immigrants’ urbandestinations. It is freely available on-line. The map tool is developed by theMigration Policy Information Data Hub and the project leaders of the‘Globalization, Urbanization and Migration’ (GUM) project at the GeorgeWashington University.

Social cohesion indicators to measure your city’s policy effectiveness

European societies are facing growing disparities in individual wealth andwell-being. To reverse this trend, the Congress of Local and RegionalAuthorities urges towns and regions to develop social cohesion indicators withwhich they can assess and improve their social policy effectiveness. Accordingto the Congress, which is a Council of Europe (CoE) consultative body, theindicators should be formulated and evaluated by all stakeholders in society.Local or regional authorities should not monopolise this process.

CoR ‘Declaration for Europe’: more respect for local and regional diversity, identity and autonomy

The Committee of the Regions (CoR) celebrated Europe’s 50th birthday in Romeon 23 March. At the main ceremony the CoR adopted its ‘Declaration for Europe’,which calls for a new ‘bond of trust’ between the European Union (EU) and itscitizens. Respect for human rights, the development of local and regionalautonomy and cultural diversity are among the values that need to underpin this‘bond of trust’.

EC: European universities and businesses need to strengthen relations

On 4 April 2007, the European Commission has published a communication on therelation between the European academic world and European business. According tothe communication, an average university in Europe generates far fewerinventions and patents compared with North American counterparts. The Commissionprovides guidelines to help universities improve their links with industry.

Political agreement on LIFE+ reached

The Council of the Europe Union and the European Parliament have reached anagreement on LIFE+, the new financial instrument for the environment. LIFE+ willbring simplification by regrouping a broad range of existing environmentalprogrammes and instruments in a single framework. These existing instrumentsinclude the current LIFE programme and the Urban Environment programme. LIFE+will run from September 2007 to 2013.

'Cities need to invest 40 trillion dollars in infrastructure'

Cities around the world need to invest 40 trillion dollarsto upgradeinadequate and out-of-date infrastructure or risk losing their workforce tolocations with better services, according to a report published by consultantBooz Allen Hamilton.

Europol report analyses threat of terror

On 10 April Europol published its first EU Terrorism Situation and TrendReport (TE-SAT 2007). The report indicates that 498 attacks were carried out byIslamist, separatist, left-wing and anarchist terrorist groups in eleven EUmember states in 2006. A total of 706 individuals suspected of terrorismoffences were arrested in 15 member states in 2006.The report was presented inthe European Parliament in Brussels by Director Max-Peter Ratzel. He statedthat, even though not a new phenomenon, the posed by terrorism to member statesis more serious than ever.

Bigger and better roads can be environmentally sustainable (or not?)

The transport sector is responsible for 14 per cent of the greenhouse gasemissions. Many green civil society organisations therefore want to curb thefunding for road transport in favour of more sustainable transport systems, suchas (light)rail. As a response to these calls, the European Road Federation (ERF)has published a discussion paper on the sustainability of roads. In this paper,the ERF argues that better roads reduce car emissions. It also emphasises thatrestraining the capacity of the road network is environmentallycounterproductive.

Register now for Europan 9 – the urban design competition for Europe’s young architects and urban design professionals

Europan is a European urban design competition that brings to the foreEurope’s young architecture and urban design professionals. It gives them theopportunity to publicise and develop their ideas. The theme of Europan 9 is‘European urbanity – sustainable city and new public spaces’. Cities anddevelopers have provided 73 sites which need innovative architectural and urbansolutions to be transformed.

No place for the handicapped in most European taxis

In most European countries less than 10 per cent of the taxi fleet isaccessible for wheelchair users. There are more than 45 million disabled peopleacross Europe. Therefore, it is clearly important that accessibility to taxiservices should be improved. The European Conference of Ministers of Transport(ECMT) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) joined forces to examinehow taxis should be designed to be more accessible. The ‘Improving access totaxis’ report provides recommendations for local and national governments, aswell as manufacturers and taxi operators.

OECD presents Territorial Review of the Randstad, the Netherlands

On 11 April 2007, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) published its Territorial Review of the Randstad urban area. The Randstadis the poly-centric urban area in the west of the Netherlands, comprisingAmsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and several smaller cities. Accordingto the OECD, the Randstad does not exploit well the proximity among the fourlarge cities, and does not represent an integrated functional urban system.

European Center for Migration to manage flow of highly skilled immigrants

The European Centre for Migration Policies has been launched during a roundtable on high skilled labour flows in Brussels, on 18 April 2007. Its mainmission will be to act as the bridge between Europe's local and regionalgovernment, and the European Commission. The Centre will address all issuesconnected to migration, including the integration of migrants, socio-economicaspects, financial aspects, as well as relations with the countries of origin.

Report identifies progress on Lisbon targets – more local involvement needed

It is the EU’s ambition to make Europe the most dynamic and competitiveeconomy in the world by 2010. The British Work Foundation has recently publishedthe report “Knowledge economy in Europe”, measuring Europe’s progress. Thereport compares the developments in the European knowledge economy with the USdevelopments. It comes up with a number of critical recommendations, arguing tofocus on cities as places of innovation and to readjust targets for R&Dspending.

European Diversity Truck hits the road

The European Diversity Truck hit the road in Strasbourg yesterday andembarked on its tour across Europe. The journey will take in 19 countries,covering more than 18,000 km. Visiting city centres, universities, job fairs,and public festivals, the mobile information platform will inform people abouttheir rights to equal treatment and promote the 2007 European Year of EqualOpportunities for All.

Startling differences in educational performance of the second generation in Europe

Across Europe, there are wide disparities in the educational achievements ofsecond-generation immigrants. This is revealed by a case study of vocationaltrack pupils with Turkish parents in five European countries (Germany, Austria,The Netherlands, Belgium and France). The study examines three meaningfulindicators of success: the children’s educational tracks, drop-out rates andtransition to the labour market.

Programme to combat violence against women and children to be approved by European Parliament

The European Parliament (EP) is expected to approve the Daphne III programmeduring its 21-24 May plenary session in Strasbourg. The Council of the EuropeanUnion has already adopted the proposal on 5 March 2007. The Daphne programmesupports organisations that prevent or combat violence against children, youngpeople and women and protect victims and groups at-risk.

Chicago named as “top city of the future”

Chicago has been named as North America’s ‘major city of the future’. Torontocame second in the survey, while Guadalajara was the highest-ranking majorMexican city. Windsor, Ontario, ranked highest among ‘small cities of thefuture’.

Germany introduces far-reaching measures on buildings’ energy efficiency

At the end of 2007, the German federal government will introduce mandatoryenergy certificates for existing buildings. This was announced by Mr WolfgangTiefensee, the federal minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, at theEU/G8 conference ‘Energy efficiency – Shaping tomorrow’s world’. “Thecertificate will give tenants and purchasers a clear overview of the heating andhot water costs they can expect, creating the necessary transparency on theproperty market”, said Mr Tiefensee.

Urban pedestrians are speeding up

Pedestrians all over the world are moving faster than a decade ago, accordingto a study into the pace at which people walk in 32 cities across the globe.Walking speeds have increased by an average of 10 percent in the past decade.People in the greatest hurry live in Singapore, they walk at an average speed of6.2 kilometres per hour. Following in their footsteps are residents ofCopenhagen in Denmark (6.1 km/h) and Madrid in Spain (6.0 km/h). Surprisingly,some of the world's biggest cities did not even make the top five. New York'sresidents came in at eight, Londoners were placed 12th on the list and Tokyo'surbanites were ranked 19th.

EU Ministers discuss integration and intercultural dialogue

How can the Member States of the European Union (EU) improve theircooperation on integration? And how can they strengthen the interculturaldialogue? These are the two key questions addressed during the meeting of EUintegration Ministers in the German city of Potsdam on 10 and 11 May. TheMinisters have been invited by the German Federal Minister of the Interior, DrWolfgang Schäuble, as part of the German EU presidency.

Sign up for the European eGovernment Awards

The European eGovernment Awards 2007 for the most outstanding eGovernmentsolutions are expected to be presented by Viviane Reding, European Commissionerfor Information Society and Media. The awards will take place at the fourthministerial eGovernment conference on 20 September 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.

RECTIFICATION: Report did not express official view of European Parliament

The EUKN Secretariat has reacted prematurely on the conclusions of the study“Possibilities for Success of the Sustainable Communities Approach and itsImplementation” that was presented to and debated by the European ParliamentCommittee on Regional Development (EP REGI Committee) on 2 May 2007. The EP hasnotified the EUKN Secretariat of three inconsistencies in the news item“European Parliament calls upon EUKN to strengthen Sustainable Cities Agenda”which was published on 3 May 2007.

China on its way to become largest CO2-emitter in the world

This year, China will overtake the United States as the biggest emitter ofgreenhouse gases – far earlier than thought. The booming Chinese economy and itssubsequent growing need for new energy generating plants have led to astaggering increase in CO2 emissions over the past years. The InternationalEnergy Association estimates that the Chinese, who in 2006 emitted about 5,600million tonnes of CO2, will this year emit about 6,020 million tonnes of CO2. Bycontrast, the United States will emit about 5,910 million tonnes of CO2 in 2007.

European Forum for Urban Safety seeks participants in radicalisation prevention project

The European Forum for Urban Safety (FESU) is to submit a project in theframework of the European Commission programme to prevent violentradicalisation. The main focus of the project will be to encourage anintercultural dialogue, through ongoing training for local actors such asteachers and police officers. Interested parties should contact the FESUSecretariat.

Launch of the new ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme

The new ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme will be simultaneously launched onThursday 10 May in Brussels (Belgium) and Rhodes (Greece). The Europe forCitizens programme promotes the participation of European Union citizens inEuropean issues. One of the action areas of the programme is ‘active citizensfor Europe’. Under this heading, the European Commission jointly funds projectsthat directly involve citizens, with specific attention for town twinningactivities.

EUROCITIES: EU legislations on urban toll systems are unwelcome and counterproductive

EUROCITIES has submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s greenpaper on urban transport. One of the current ‘hot topics’ in this area iscongestion charging. Jacques Barrot, the Transport Commissioner, has welcomedregulations that would allow cities more freedom to set up their own pricingschemes. EUROCITIES, however, has made clear that any EU legislation attemptingto regulate the system of urban tolls would be unwelcome and evencounterproductive: “This action should not restrict the flexibility which largercities need to adapt their actions to local challenges”.

EP calls for Europe-wide EU investment in housing

According to a resolution adopted by the European Parliament (EP) on 10 May"housing needs are critical throughout Europe". At the same time, however, onlythe ten new Member States are able to gain financial support under theStructural Funds. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are now calling fora fresh debate on giving all EU member states access to the Structural Funds forinvestment in social housing.

EC: Europe needs bigger families and working moms to maintain competitiveness

On 10 May 2007, the European Commission (EC) has adopted a communication on'Promoting solidarity between the generations'. In this communication, theCommission is urging action on better gender-equality policies and support forfamilies. Action is needed, since research shows that Europeans are having lesschildren than they would like to have. Policies are needed to enable people tosimultaneously be a parent and pursue a successful career - necessary to counterthe ageing population and reach the Lisbon targets of more growth and jobs.

CEMR: Strong level of subsidiarity must be respected in urban transport

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has published aposition paper on the European Commission’s Green Paper on urban transport. Inits paper, the CEMR emphasises the local nature of urban transport policies: thelocal actors are most aware of the problems that need to be addressed in theircity and under which conditions. The Council therefore calls the EuropeanCommission to respect local self-government with regard to urban transport.

EU Ministers agree to intensify cooperation on integration and intercultural dialogue

At their meeting in Potsdam, Germany, on 10-11 May, the EU Ministersresponsible for integration and intercultural dialogue have agreed to greatercooperation in these fields. Exchanging information and experience is key inthis cooperation. The role of the National Contact Points on Integration (NCPIs)in the Member States will be expanded.

European strategy for culture to improve economy, integration and international relations

On 10 May the European Commission (EC) adopted a Communication on the role ofculture in a globalising world. It proposes the first-ever European strategy forculture. The policy statement affirms the central role of culture in the processof European integration and proposes a cultural agenda for Europe, and for itsrelations with third countries. Its adoption follows an extensive publicconsultation process.

World Competitiveness Yearbook: Luxembourg is most competitive EU country

European Union member states have mixed results when it comes to howcompetitive they are, according to a new world competitiveness report. In thecountry ranking, there are no EU states among the top three on the list, whichsees the US as the world's most competitive nation, with Singapore taking secondplace and kicking Hong Kong down to third place compared to 2006 numbers.However, 24 out of the bloc's 27 member states are among the world's 55 mostcompetitive nations, with Luxembourg, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, andEU neighbours Switzerland and Iceland in the top ten.

European Parliament votes for more options in public transport contracting

At a second reading vote, the European Parliament (EP) generally approved newEuropean Union (EU) rules on public transport by rail and by road. Over the pastyears, the private sector has become more involved in public transport. The newrules reflect this trend and seek to rebalance the award of contracts for theseservices between the public and private sector. If the Council agrees with theEP’s amendments to the proposed text, the regulation will enter into forcewithin two to three years.

Eco industries: a better environment, more jobs and more growth

Eco-industries generate 2.1 per cent of the European Gross Domestic Productand currently sustain 3.5 million full-time jobs. This is noted in the EuropeanCommission’s 2005-2006 review of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan(ETAP). It is estimated that this sector, which includes air pollution control,waste water management and renewable energies, will continue to grow quicklyover the coming years. However, the Commission acknowledges that, despite thestrong growth of the eco industries sector, much more needs to be done if thereare to be real environmental gains.

Informal EU Council meeting on urban policy embraces integral approach

To achieve the objective of sustainable cities, an integral approach to urbanissues must be chosen. In addition, the European structural funds should be madeavailable for local projects that embrace this integral approach. This is themost important message of the Leipzig Charter, which was adopted by the Europeanministers responsible for urban policy on 24 May. The ministers also decided tocontinue the European Urban Knowledge Network (EUKN), the knowledge exchangenetwork for European cities.

More support needed for SMEs in creative and cultural sector

On 24 May, the European Ministers of Culture adopted 'Conclusions on thecontribution the cultural and creative sector makes towards implementing thegoals of the Lisbon Strategy'. In the conclusions, the important contribution ofthe creative and cultural industries in pursuing the goal of an innovativeknowledge economy is explicitly acknowledged. Given their economic importancefor the European economy, the Council calls for more European support for smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the creative and cultural sector.

EC launches call to support public ICT projects

On 25 May, the European Commission launched a call for proposals under theCompetitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). The call concerns theICT policy support programme (ICT PSP). Local authorities can get support fore-government projects and other ICT investments. The budget of ICT PSP for 2007is 54 million euros. Deadline for submitting proposals is 23 October 2007.

Fourth Cohesion Report published – prosperity is spread more evenly over Europe

The European Commission has published its fourth report on economic andsocial cohesion in the EU on 30 May. The report comes out every three years. TheEuropean cohesion policy has proved to be successful over the last years. TheEU's economic prosperity is becoming less geographically concentrated. However,cohesion policy has to adapt to new challenges, such as globalisation andclimate change. The need to address these challenges is an argument to support acohesion policy that is aimed at all EU Member States, instead of being focusedon the most lagging European regions.

Which organisation is the best European public authority?

Bertelsmann Stiftung, Speyer University and the European Group of PublicAdministration have announced a European award for public administration. TheEuropean Public Sector Award (EPSA) will put three public organisations in thelime light. Public authorities can compete in three categories. The applicationperiod closes on 15 July 2007.

To be inclusive, cities need more investment in public transport

The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) has published aposition paper on ‘Tackling social exclusion’. It stresses that more publictransport is key to connect socially excluded citizens to the social andeconomic structures of society. Transport policies should focus predominantly onthis segment of the population.

10 million euros to encourage the Intercultural Dialogue – call for tenders opened

The European Union has for many years encouraged intercultural dialogue.However, according to the Commission, today there is a need for a deeper andmore structured dialogue of cultures. The European Commission has opened a callfor projects that encourage the intercultural dialogue. The Commission will fundup to ten transnational projects that improve intercultural exchange. Thedeadline for submitting proposals is 31 July 2007.

The House of Cities, Municipalities and Regions opens in Brussels

The House of Cities, Municipalities and Regions was officially inaugurated on6 June in Brussels. The opening ceremony was performed by Margot Wallström,Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of institutional relationsand communication strategy,.and Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner forRegional Policy. The house, located at the heart of the EU quarter, is home to awide range of organisations representing local and regional interests atEuropean level. Amongst its tenets are Eurocities and the Council for EuropeanMunicipalities and Regions (CEMR).

Portugal to push for “realistic” EU immigration policy

Portugal will push for a "realistic" approach to legal migration in itsupcoming EU Presidency, starting 1 July 2007. In the view of the Portuguese, arealistic immigration policy complements strict border control with a focus onsocial inclusion. It accepts the reality of economic integration as a solutionto fill shortages that are expected to emerge in Europe’s labour market.

Call for entries for the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage

The “Europa Nostra Awards” are granted annually to identify and promote bestpractices in the conservation of tangible cultural heritage. Four projects willbe presented with an award and a monetary prize of 10,000 euros. Deadline forsubmitting your project is 15 August 2007. The winners will be announced byEuropa Nostra in 2008.

Commissioner Wallström: "Cities hold key to solving environmental problems"

Cities hold the key to solving the world’s environmental problems, accordingto European Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström. She presented theCommission’s vision on environmental sustainability on the occasion of theopening of the Green Week 2007 on 12 June in Brussels. In the words ofWallström: “The quest for a sustainable future will be lost or won in our urbanareas.”

Green Paper on Urban Transport is well on track

The European Commission is to push forward in drafting a Green Paper on UrbanTransport. The preparation phase of the paper, in which stakeholder consultationwas central, is drawing to a close. The Green Paper seeks to see whetherobstacles to successful urban transport policies exist at the EU level. Basedupon an extensive stakeholder consultation by the Commission, it can beconcluded that there is a role to play for Europe in urban transport.

Will your city win the Eurosolar Award?

Eurosolar – the European Association for Renewable Energies – will award thebest European projects promoting the use of renewable energies. Municipalities,municipally owned entities, individuals, engineers, architects, owners ofinstallations using renewable energies and to organisations that promoted theapplication of renewable energies are invited to participate in the contest. Thedeadline for registering your project is 31 July 2007.

DG Justice calls for transnational projects in the prevention of and fight against crime

The European Commission’s DG Justice calls for trans-national projects in thefield of the prevention of and fight against crime. Law enforcement agencies,local, regional and national authorities, social partners, universities,statistical offices, non-governmental organisations, public-private partnershipsand relevant international bodies are all eligible to submit a proposal. Totalbudget for this call for proposals is 18.5 million euros. The deadline forsubmitting proposals is 16 July 2007.

Will these cities still exist in the year 2100?

Today, much is said about the growth of urban areas and the dramatic rise inpopulation of so called mega cities. However, at the same time, many urban areasare faced with declining numbers of inhabitants. Other now booming cities arethreatened by natural disasters. Forbes magazine has come up with a list ofcities that might no longer exist in the year 2100.

German EU Presidency successful in the field of Justice and Home Affairs

German Federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble declared the GermanCouncil Presidency in the field of European home affairs policy "a great success". He mentioned the extension of Prüm Treaty – EU wide access to Member States’DNA and fingerprint data and to vehicle registration databases – as a huge stepforward. Another success concerns Europol: "We have brought about politicalagreement on incorporating Europol into the EU´s legal framework. In thiscontext, Europol´s mandate will be extended to cover all forms of seriouscross-border crime."

EC adopts Green paper on climate change

The European Commission has adopted a green paper on how to adapt to theimpacts of climate change, on 29 June 2007. The green paper sets out options forEU action to help the process of adaptation to climate change.across Europe.Adaptation means taking action to cope with changing climatic conditions, forexample by using scarce water resources more efficiently or ensuring the frailand elderly are properly cared for during heatwaves.

CoE needs participants for the Intercultural Cities Programme

The Council of Europe (CoE) is inviting applications from local authoritiesto join their Intercultural Cities Programme. The aim of the programme is tohelp cities and town across Europe manage cultural diversity as a resource forthe development, creativity and cohesion of their communities. The deadline forapplications is 30 September.

US demographic core moving to the south

The demographic core of the United States is moving to the south of thecountry. Nearly a century ago, in 1910, each of the 10 largest US cities waswithin roughly 500 miles of the Canadian border. The 2006 estimates show thatseven of the top 10 - and three of the top five - are in states that borderMexico. The US Census Bureau published a report on the most populous US citieson 28 June, revealing a population shift from north to south.

European employers embrace single market initiatives

On 28 June 2007, the Employers' Group of the European Economic and SocialCommittee (EESC) met to support efforts to relaunch the Single Market. Themeeting was attended by representatives from the European Commission,BusinessEurope, EuroCommerce and the EESC. According to the employers, there arecurrently problems in which existing legislation and principles are applied.This stops citizens and enterprises from enjoying the benefits of the internalmarket.

OECD: Migration is part of the solution for labour shortages and population ageing

Migration to OECD countries continues to rise, according to the latestedition of the OECD’s annual report on migration movements and policies,International Migration Outlook 2007 (IMO 2007). About four million newimmigrants entered OECD countries on a permanent basis in 2005, an increase often per cent from 2004. According to Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of theOrganisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, effective integrationpolicies are needed, in particular in the realms of education and the labourmarket, in order to take full advantage of the migratory flows.

New president for European Forum for Urban Safety

The three hundred members of the European Forum for Urban Safety (EFUS).elected a new board at their general assembly on Friday 6 July in Rome. EFUS isa network specialised in questions of security and crime prevention. JuanAlberto Belloch Julbe, mayor of Saragossa, was elected President of the Forum,succeeding Freddy Thielemans, Brussels’ mayor and President since 2003.

Fourteen million euros funding to help manage illegal immigration

The European Commission has launched two calls for proposals to fundingshort-term actions to address EU Member States' difficulties with illegalimmigration. One call covers actions to provide adequate reception conditionsfor illegal immigrants. The other call covers the return of illegal immigrantsto their countries of origin. A total of seven million euros is available foreach call.

Discrimination - Does it matter? Participate in online EU consultation

The European Commission (EC) has launched an online consultation on combatingdiscrimination in the Member States and at EU level. The public consultationaims to help the Commission plan new measures to tackle discrimination on thebasis of gender, religion, belief, disability, age or sexual orientation inareas beyond the job market. The online consultation runs from 4 July to 15October 2007.

Stricter public procurement rules likely to be forthcoming

The European Parliament has adopted a new version of the regulation on theEnergy Star programme on 10 July. It requires the Member States to applydemanding energy efficiency criteria in the public procurement of officeequipment. This marks the first time that the Council, the European Parliamentand the Commission agree that certain energy efficiency criteria become bindingin public procurement. Energy Star is part of the EU's strategy to better manageenergy demand, contribute to security of energy supply and mitigate climatechange.

New Master’s programme in European spatial planning

Starting from this autumn, the University of Luxembourg offers a new twoyears master's program in European Sustainable Spatial Development and Analysisfocusing on regional development in Europe. The main objective of this Master isto offer a high level of academic education covering the fields of spatialanalysis, spatial development and sustainable planning strategies.

'Carfree areas seeking municipalities' - Call for applications

European municipalities are invited to express interest in co-operating torealise carfree model settlements in their area. Three of the respondingmunicipalities will be selected by a jury to participate in the international“Carfree Area Pilot Project”. Finally, the project proposal will be submitted tothe European Commission under the programme “Intelligent energy – Europe”. Thedeadline for sending an application is 10 August 2007.

Portuguese EU Presidency follows up on 'Leipzig'

The Portuguese EU Presidency is to hold an informal ministerial meeting onspatial planning and regional development in the Azores on 23 and 24 November.This was announced by the Portuguese Minister for the Environment, SpatialPlanning and Regional Development, Francisco Nunes Correia during his visit tothe European Parliament's Regional development committee in Brussels on 17 July.

LIFE+ first call for proposals

LIFE+, the new Financial Instrument for the Environment, has entered intoforce. The programme will run in the 2007-2013 period. With a budget of over 2billion euros, LIFE+ is a substantial but focused funding instrument. Itprovides specific support for the development and implementation of Communityenvironmental policy and legislation. The LIFE+ draft application guidelines arenow available. The first deadline for submitting proposals is 30 November 2007.

EU highlights role of families in curbing demographic change and building social cohesion

As a result of demographic change, family-friendliness is becoming anincreasingly important element of European Union policies. The compatibility offamily and career will play an important role in Europe’s future economic andsocial development. In an effort to meet these challenges, the EU heads of stateand government, at the European Summit of 8 and 9 March 2007, decided toestablish a European Alliance for Families.

European Commission publishes communication on regional competitiveness and innovation

The European Commission (EC) has published a communication outlining theEuropean financial instruments available to regions to strengthen the knowledgeeconomy. The Communication shows the synergies between the funding the Europeanresearch, innovation and cohesion policies. The publication calls on national,regional and local authorities to use the funding schemes more and moreefficiently.

Portuguese parliament approves “National Spatial Policy Programme”

On 5 July, the Portuguese parliament has approved Portugal's “NationalSpatial Policy Programme” (PNPOT). This legal instrument for spatial planningand territorial management was defined in 1998 by the last legal planningframework, the Urban and Spatial Planning Law. It was conceived as a policyprogram and not as a traditional land use or zoning plan. Although elaborateunder the responsibility of the minister of spatial planning and cities, thePNPOT is a document of the government binding all the sectors of the publicadministration, and its importance is given by the obligatory approval byparliament.

Cost of energy efficient building highly overestimated by construction sector

Property professionals highly overestimate the cost of constructingenergy-efficient buildings, by up to 300 per cent. A recent survey by the WorldBusiness Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD ) amongst 1,400 individualsactive in the property industry reveals that most property professionals assumethat energy efficient building means spending around 17 per cent more onmaterials and construction. This is more than three times the actual extra costsinvolved, according to the WBSCD. Building “green” is of great importance, sincebuildings account for some 40 per cent of the EU's final energy consumption.

61 per cent of urban Europeans experience noise pollution at home

Most Europeans living in metropolitan areas (61 per cent) report substantialnoise annoyance at home in their residential area. 32 per cent feel very orextremely annoyed. This is one of the first results of a European wide onlinesurvey on noise annoyance and noise sensitivity. The study is carried out in thecontext of the European research network SILENCE. The aim of this network,co-funded by the European Commission, is to develop recommendations and rulesfor noise abatement. For this, the scientists focus their interest particularlyon annoying traffic noise and how it is perceived by residents in urban areas.

London shows interest in Parisian free bike scheme

A bicycle-hire scheme, which saw one million users in the eighteen daysfollowing its launch in Paris, is being monitored by London Mayor KenLivingstone.

EMCDDA seeks members for its Scientific Committee

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) islooking for scientists to become member of its Scientific Committee. TheScientific Committee plays a major role in the EMCDDA’s efforts to reachscientific excellence. Amongst other things, the Scientific Committee advisesthe EMCDDA on its work programme, participates in risk assessments and controlof new psychoactive substances.

Europol supports EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland

The Austrian interior ministry and EUROPOL will closely collaborate to ensurethe safety during the European soccer championships EURO 2008. The event takesplace in Austria and Switzerland in the coming summer. Amongst others, EUROPOLwill support the Austrian government with international threat assessments andspecific strategic training for Austrian law enforcement personnel.

EC establishes European Security Research and Innovation Forum

The European Commission has established the European Security Research andInnovation Forum (ESRIF). The ESRIF held its first meeting on 11 September 2007.The Forum is to promote cooperation in the field of security research. It bringstogether stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, includingrepresentatives of industry, research establishments, public and privateend-users of new security technologies, civil society organisations and the EUinstitutions. The forum will eventually have around 50-70 members.

500 European cities support CEMR charter on local gender equalities

500 cities, regions and municipalities have now signed the Council ofEuropean Municipalities and Regions’ (CEMR) Charter for equality of women andmen in local life. The Charter aims to promote the balanced participation ofwomen and men in the decision making process. It is the continuation of the'town for equality' project which aimed to collect best practice cases of genderequality in European local governments as well as at setting up a methodology tohelp local representatives achieve true gender equality in their municipalities.

The world’s most polluted cities of 2007

U.S.-based Blacksmith Institute, an independent environmental group, inpartnership with Green Cross Switzerland, today issued their Top Ten list of theworld's most severely polluted places. Overall, the Top Ten sites lie in sevencountries and affect a total of more than 12 million people. None of the sitesis located in the ‘developed world’.

Local government urged to participate in consultation on EU budget reform

Local and regional governments are asked to participate in the consultationon the future of EU finances launched by the European Commission, on 12September 2007. Adoption of the consultation paper in view of the budget reviewmarks a first public step in the process of the reform of all aspects of EUspending and resources. After the consultation the Commission will propose thebudget review in 2008-2009.

Handbook for local governments on services directive published

The European Commission has published a handbook to give technical assistanceto local and regional authorities in the implementation of the "servicesdirective".

EUROCITIES wants to know what your city needs for sustainable urban development

The Eurocities led URBAN MATRIX project is conducting a survey amongst urbanprofessionals to assess what knowledge and information local authorities need toimprove the sustainability of their cities and towns. The concise survey willprovide necessary input for the development of a knowledge platform thatsupports cities in their policy choices and city management. Participation inthe survey is open until 31 October 2007.

EC outlines urban mobility agenda

On 25 September, the European Commission adopted a Green Paper on urbanmobility. "Towards a new culture for urban mobility” opens the debate on keyissues of urban mobility: free-flowing and greener towns and cities, smarterurban mobility and an urban transport which is accessible, safe and secure forall European citizens. The Green Paper identifies the obstacles to better urbanmobility and opens the debate on how to remove them in partnership with allparties. The debate should finally result in the adoption of an Action Plan onurban mobility in Autumn 2008.

EP backs EU 'Blue Card' for highly qualified immigrants

The European Parliament backed plans for a new EU 'Blue Card' for highlyqualified migrant workers as part of a strategy for dealing with legal andillegal migration on 26 September. This Blue Card should make it easier toattract knowledge workers to fill employment gaps in the EU. Migration can "enrich and energise" the Union, MEPs declared.

EC opens consultation on future cohesion policy

At the Cohesion Forum, which took place in Brussels on 27 and 28 September,Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner launched a public consultation on thefuture of the European cohesion policy. Hübner urged the forum participants toreflect on how to adapt to new challenges, such as the decline of the populationand climate change in a globalised economy. Participation in the consultation isopen until 31 January 2008.

Urbanisation leads to higher crime numbers

Crime has been on the increase in the world's cities and now has affectedmore than half of urban residents in developing countries, UN-Habitat, the UNagency for human settlements, said in a report. The report ‘Enhancing urbansafety’ found that global crime rates increased by some 30 per cent between 1980and 2000, the equivalent of more than 3,000 extra crimes per 100,000 people.

European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN) marks the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Today, the European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN) joins with thousands ofinitiatives to celebrate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.On this occasion, EAPN will present its new report assessing the progress madein the EU strategy to fight poverty in the EU Member States, to the SixthEuropean Round Table on Poverty and Social Exclusion.

European smart cities – New scientific ranking instrument for European middle-sized cities

Scientists from the Technical University (TU) of Vienna in cooperation withthe University of Ljubljana and the TU of Delft developed a new rankinginstrument to have a good look at European “middle-sized cities“ withpopulations under 500,000. The result is an interactive tool which shows thepotentials of currently 70 smart cities and makes them comparable for the firsttime. The outcome: the smartest middle-sized cities are located in Finland,Denmark, Austria, Germany and Benelux. The study shows which wheels politicians,administrative authorities and inhabitants have to turn to increase thesmartness of their cities and to improve their positioning.

European Public Sector Award for successful public administration bodies

On 25 October, the winners of the 2007 European Public Sector Award (EPSA)were announced. The EPSA is a joint initiative of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, theGerman University of Administrative Sciences Speyer and the European Group ofPublic Administration in Brussels. Six public administration bodies in Belgium,Germany, Great Britain, Romania and Sweden were recognised for their exemplaryachievements in modernising their structures and processes. On 13 November 2007,the awards will be presented in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Cultural sector of great importance in the EU27

Culture plays an important role in the life of Europeans. This is illustratedby the fact that nearly 5 million people in the EU27 are employed in thecultural sector, 2.4 % of total employment in the European Union. These figureswere released in the first 'Cultural statistics' of Eurostat. The publicationincludes chapters on cultural employment, enterprises and external trade as wellas cultural expenditure and participation.

Europeans greener than Americans

Europeans are 50 percent more likely than Americans to buy “green” products –from solar panels to hybrid cars to natural/organic foods, personal care andhome products, according to the European LOHAS study based on a partnershipbetween Porter Novelli and Natural Marketing Institute.

EU role in the management of urban sprawl limited

In a Euractiv.com interview with Mr. Jean Marie Beaupuy, MEP and President ofthe parliamentary Urban-Housing Integroup, urban sprawl is described as one ofthe major challenges in Europe today. Politicians from all different levels facean important task in this respect. But what exactly is the role of the EuropeanUnion in the management of urban sprawl?

Guide on integrated environmental management for local governments

European urban areas face a number of environmental challenges. Although thescale and intensity of the problems vary, a common set of issues can beidentified. In order to help municipal authorities to improve environmentalperformance, the EU Commission has released a guide on integrated environmentalmanagement. The publication is aimed at Europe's local government and is basedupon examples of best practice developed by towns and cities themselves.

Golden stars 2007 reward best twinnings in Europe

The 2007 awards ceremony of the Golden Stars for twinning has taken place inBrussels on 8 november 2007. The Golden Stars Awards are given to examples ofprojects around Europe that encourage active civic participation in EU issues.This year’s Forum focused on intercultural dialogue, and helped to usher in theupcoming European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008. Many of the prize-winningprojects feature a strong intercultural profile and demonstrate howintercultural dialogue constitutes a fundamental part of active Europeancitizenship.

Cities Alliance releases its 2007 Annual Report on slum upgrading and city development

The Cities Alliance recently released its 2007 Annual Report on the slumupgrading and city development strategy activities of Cities Alliance membersover the past year. The growth of the Cities Alliance, which now has 23 members,is also reflected in the broad and dynamic range of activities which includespolicy reforms, city and nationwide slum upgrading programmes, increasedcommitment to economic development as part of city strategies, and dedicatedsupport to small cities seeking expertise to improve their urban fabric.

EU programme on development cooperation a step forward for local government

The European programme "Non state actors and local authorities in development" marks a first recognition of the role of local and regional authorities indevelopment cooperation. This is one of the conclusions of the seminar organisedby the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), together with theNational Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP), in Lisbon, on 7November 2007.

Pathways to Success for the Second Generation in Europe

There is an ongoing debate over the children born to Europe's guest workersof the 1960s and 1970s: Can they move up the educational ladder, or will theyform a new underclass in Europe's largest cities? Maurice Crul of the Universityof Amsterdam compares outcomes for second-generation Turkish children acrossfive countries.

Biofuel Cities European Partnership launched in Sweden

The Biofuel Cities European Partnership was officially launched on 8 November2007, in Stockholm, Sweden. This new partnership, supported by the EuropeanCommission, is open to local governments and other stakeholders in the area ofbiofuels and energy-efficient vehicles.

European Network Against Racism 2006 Shadow Report

Manifestations of racism in Europe continue. Some forms of racism are on theincrease, notably Islamophobia. There has also been a significant upsurge ofracist violence and crime. These are the conclusions of ENAR’s (European NetworkAgainst Racism) 2006 Shadow Report on racism in Europe. The report alsounderlines that there has been a rise in extremist organisations and politicalparties expressing racist sentiments, not only on the margins of politics butincreasingly within the mainstream and even within government.

LIFE brochure: Innovative waste management options in Europe

Waste management is an important issue that is central to EU environmentalpolicy. The objectives of EU waste policy are to reduce the negative impact ofwaste on the environment and public health and to ensure the most efficient useof resources, particularly natural resources. Towards these goals, it aims toimprove and strengthen measures to prevent the disposal of waste and promote itsre-use, recycling or recovery. The European Commission's Financial Instrumentfor the Environment (LIFE) published the brochure: 'LIFE and waste recycling:Innovative waste management options in Europe'. It illustrates methods andtechnologies to treat waste in an optimal way to reduce risks to human healthand the environment.

LIFE website introduces special section on the urban environment

LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental and natureconservation projects throughout Europe. However, LIFE does not only focus on'nature' but also supports projects related to the urban environment. The LIFEwebsite now includes a special section on the urban environment and the qualityof life to illustrate their involvement in this field.

European award for Water In Historic City Centres

The project Water In Historic City Centres (WIHCC) has won the EuropeanRegional Cultural Champion Award. The prize was awarded to the WIHCC-projectbecause, according to the European jury, the six partnercities succeeded best inpromoting their region’s cultural heritage to a wide audience. The EuropeanRegional Cultural Champion Award was presented to mr. A. Rombouts, mayor of theDutch city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, during a ceremony in Brussels yesterday. Mr.Rombouts received the award on behalf of the six WIHCC partnercities: Breda and‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, Ghent and Mechelen in Belgium, Chester inthe UK and Limerick in Ireland.

European Commission concludes City of Amsterdam investment in fibre network is not state aid

The European Commission has approved the investment by the municipality ofAmsterdam and other shareholders in a glass fibre telecommunications network inthe Dutch city. After an in-depth investigation, launched in December 2006, theCommission concluded that the municipality participates in the project on thesame terms as would a market investor. Therefore the Commission has concludedthat no state aid is involved.

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