07.01.2008
Slovenian Presidency wants further progress on Lisbon strategy
An update on the renewed Lisbon strategy on growth and jobs will be a key objective when Slovenia takes over the EU presidency from Portugal on 1 January 2008, according to Slovenian Minister Žiga Turk. Slovenia will strive to initiate the next three...read more

07.01.2008
Call for papers EURA 2008 conference - Milan, 9-11 October 2008
Between 9-11 October 2008 EURA (European Urban Research Association) will organise its annual conference. The title of the upcoming conference is 'Learning Cities in a Knowledge Based Society'. It will focus on the exploration of several of today's m...read more

18.12.2007
"Urban problems are not the fault of rapid urban growth"
"Urban problems are not the fault of rapid urban growth", David Satterthwaite, senior fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) states. In his recent paper ‘the transition to a predominantly urban world and its unde...read more

13.12.2007
European Commission concludes City of Amsterdam investment in fibre network is not state aid
The European Commission has approved the investment by the municipality of Amsterdam and other shareholders in a glass fibre telecommunications network in the Dutch city. After an in-depth investigation, launched in December 2006, the Commission conc...read more

13.12.2007
Lisbon Growth and Jobs Strategy is working, but EU must reform further to succeed in a globalised age
Three years after it was relaunched in 2005, the Lisbon Growth and Jobs Strategy is working. That is the main conclusion of the Commission's Strategic Report on economic reform across Europe, published today. The report demonstrates that the Lisbon S...read more

13.12.2007
2010 to be the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
On December 12th 2007, the European Commission designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The € 17 million campaign aims to reaffirm the EU's commitment to making a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty b...read more

07.12.2007
EU work permit 'blue card' faces opposition
The European Commission's plan to attract non-EU workers has run into difficulties, as several member states question whether Brussels' bureaucracy should play a role in the area. On Thursday 6 November, interior and employment ministers from the 27-...read more

05.12.2007
Slovenia reveals priorities for its upcoming EU presidency
From 1 January 2008, Slovenia will take over the EU presidency from Portugal. On 28  November 2007, Slovenia's EU Ambassador Igor Sencar outlined the key decisions the EU will face during the first half of 2008 at an EPC conference. Slovenia's incomi...read more

04.12.2007
Migration Policy Institute publishes top 10 migration issues of 2007
The Washington-based Migration Policy Institute (MPI) has published its top 10 migration issues of 2007. In comparison to 2006, the US immigration policy, highly skilled migrants and Iraqi refugees have become some of the most remarkable issues featu...read more

04.12.2007
"European cities need to provide more than just bricks and mortar"
"European cities are increasingly recognising the need to provide more than just bricks and mortar - and this requires additional skills", says Jayne Crosse, director of strategy and practice at the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) based in ...read more

03.12.2007
LIFE website introduces special section on the urban environment
LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental and nature conservation projects throughout Europe. However, LIFE does not only focus on 'nature' but also supports projects related to the urban environment. The LIFE website now include...read more

03.12.2007
European award for Water In Historic City Centres
The project Water In Historic City Centres (WIHCC) has won the European Regional Cultural Champion Award. The prize was awarded to the WIHCC-project because, according to the European jury, the six partnercities succeeded best in promoting their regi...read more

23.11.2007
European Network Against Racism 2006 Shadow Report
Manifestations of racism in Europe continue. Some forms of racism are on the increase, notably Islamophobia. There has also been a significant upsurge of racist violence and crime. These are the conclusions of ENAR’s (European Network Against Racism)...read more

23.11.2007
LIFE brochure: Innovative waste management options in Europe
Waste management is an important issue that is central to EU environmental policy. The objectives of EU waste policy are to reduce the negative impact of waste on the environment and public health and to ensure the most efficient use of resources, pa...read more

21.11.2007
“The most important factor underlying the level of vulnerability of people to urban threats is poverty”
“The most important factor underlying the level of vulnerability of people to urban threats is poverty,” says Mr. Mutizwa-Mangiza, Chief of Policy Analysis at the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). The United Nations agency rece...read more

16.11.2007
Pathways to Success for the Second Generation in Europe
There is an ongoing debate over the children born to Europe's guest workers of the 1960s and 1970s: Can they move up the educational ladder, or will they form a new underclass in Europe's largest cities? Maurice Crul of the University of Amsterdam co...read more

16.11.2007
Biofuel Cities European Partnership launched in Sweden
The Biofuel Cities European Partnership was officially launched on 8 November 2007, in Stockholm, Sweden. This new partnership, supported by the European Commission, is open to local governments and other stakeholders in the area of biofuels and ener...read more

14.11.2007
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 in development cooperation. This is one of the conclusions of the seminar organised by the Council...read more

13.11.2007
European Commission and EUROCITIES sign Milan Declaration on integration
On 5 November in Milan, Franco Frattini, Vice-President of the European Commission, Letizia Moratti and Ivo Opstelten - Mayors of Milan and Rotterdam respectively – jointly signed the Milan Declaration, in which the Commission and EUROCITIES agree on...read more

13.11.2007
Cities Alliance releases its 2007 Annual Report on slum upgrading and city development
The Cities Alliance recently released its 2007 Annual Report on the slum upgrading and city development strategy activities of Cities Alliance members over the past year. The growth of the Cities Alliance, which now has 23 members, is also reflected ...read more