19.06.2006
Urban transport - a European priority
The European Commission is due to adopt a White Paper on a common transport policy on 22 June 2006. The White Paper sets the EU’s strategy on transport for the years to come. Urban transport is identified as a priority. The Commission wants to improv...read more

19.06.2006
New sustainable development strategy adopted
On 16 June 2006, the European Council has adopted a revised EU sustainable development strategy, the Gothenburg Agenda. The revised strategy focuses on sustainable production and consumption. The text remains ambiguous in its relation to the Lisbon A...read more

19.06.2006
EC increases proposed de minimis ceiling to 200,000 euros
As part of its state aid reforms the European Commission proposed a new increase of the "de minimis" block exemption on 12 June 2006. The Commission wants to raise the ceiling to 200,000 euros. This means that government aid to companies amounting to...read more

16.06.2006
Urban forests in EU action plan
The European Commission has adopted an 18-point EU Forest action plan on 15 June 2006. One of the four aims of the plan is to improve the quality of life of EU citizens. For this, focus is on environmental education and the role of urban and peri-urb...read more

14.06.2006
Local authorities to compete for Citizen Participation Award
The International Observatory of Participative Democracy (OIDP) has launched the "Best Practice in Citizen Participation Award". The award aims to recognise innovative experiments and ideas that get the public involved in developing and implementing ...read more

13.06.2006
EUROCITIES calls for changes to Services Directive
The President of EUROCITIES has said that the scope of the draft Directive on Services should be reduced. He called for a separate regulatory framework for services of general economic interest - which include energy supply, telecommunications, trans...read more

12.06.2006
i2010: EC steps up efforts
The member states are to adapt to their public services to information and communication technologies (ICTs) by 2010. The i2010 action plan aims to develop cross-border services accessible to all Europeans. The action plan will create an appropriate ...read more

12.06.2006
European agreement on awarding public transport contracts
The Council of EU Transport Ministers reached an agreement on the proposal for a regulation on the award of public service contracts for passenger transport. Public authorities will remain free to provide transport services or directly award public s...read more

09.06.2006
Urban Environment: Challenges to Sustainability
Urban Environment: Challenges to Sustainability is a Special Report that convenes diverse perspectives on urban environments in developing countries. The online report is published by the Development Gateway Foundation, an non-governmental organisati...read more

08.06.2006
Vote for “Best Mayor of the World”
City Mayors, the international project for good and strong local government, has nominated 50 mayors to compete for the title “World Mayor 2006”. Mayors are judged on their vision, their passion and their skills. You are invited to vote for who you b...read more

06.06.2006
EC to reflect on ports policy
On 8 March 2006 the European Commission (EC) withdrew its proposal for a Directive on the liberalisation of port services. All eyes now are turned to the mid-term review of the 2001 Transport Green Paper, expected on 22 June 2006. This Green Paper wi...read more

06.06.2006
Awards for preservation of cultural heritage
The European Commission and Europa Nostra, a platform of NGOs, call for entries for the 2006 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage and the 2006 Europa Nostra Awards. Prize money to be awarded totals 60.000 euros.read more

06.06.2006
YOUTH Programme – call for proposals
The European Commission is to support 10 to 15 projects in the framework of the YOUTH programme. Projects must be innovative and show new approaches on how to deal with one of five priority themes. Co-funding of each project will be 100.000 to 300.00...read more

05.06.2006
Copenhagen wins European Mobility Award 2006
Copenhagen, Denmark, has won the 2006 European Mobility Award. Budapest, Hungary, and Koprivnica, Croatia, both came in second place. The award is given annually for the promotion of best practice in sustainable urban transport by local authorities. ...read more

02.06.2006
2007: Year of Equal Opportunities
The year will aim to make Europeans aware of their right not to be discriminated against, to promote equal opportunities in areas from work to healthcare, and to show how diversity makes the EU stronger. The year will have four themes: rights, repres...read more

02.06.2006
Green Week: Greener cities needed for cleaner air
A conference co-organised by DG Environment and Friends of Europe on 31 May investigated ways of "greening" European cities. Policy-makers stressed the role of urban communities in improving air quality at the debate taking place in the context of Gr...read more

01.06.2006
Finland launches EU presidency website
On 31 May, Finnish minister for European Affairs Paula Lehtomäki presented the website and visual design for the country's upcoming European Union Presidency. Finland will start its tour on 1 July 2006. The two main languages used for the web site ar...read more

01.06.2006
New European initiative supports sustainable investment in cities
Three new initiatives for the EU's cohesion policy were officially launched in Brussels on 30 May 2006. The European Commission and the financial institutions involved signed memoranda of understanding on three new initiatives. The initiative JESSICA...read more

30.05.2006
DG Environment - Urban issues now under ‘Clean air & Transport’
The European Commission Directorate General Environment has changed its internal composition. The changes follow the appointment of Peter Carl as the new Director of DG Environment in 2005. The changes include the transfer of responsibilities previou...read more

29.05.2006
EIB grants 500 million euros to France for urban investment
The European Investment Bank (EIB) teamed up with three French partners in a 500 million euros National Urban and Social Regeneration Programme. The partners are the Ministry of Employment, Social Cohesion and Housing, the National Urban Regeneration...read more