Urban areas play an important role in delivering the objectives of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. In urban areas the environmental, economic and social dimensions meet most strongly.2 Cities are where many environmental problems are concentrated, but they are also the economic drivers, the places where business is done and investments are made. Four out of five European citizens live in urban areas, and their quality of life is directly influenced by the state of the urban environment. A high quality urban environment also contributes to the priority of the renewed Lisbon Strategy to ‘make Europe a more attractive place to work and invest’. The attractiveness of European cities will enhance their potential for growth and job creation, and cities are therefore of key importance to the implementation of the Lisbon Agenda.

However, there are increasing concerns about the state of Europe’s urban environment. The environmental challenges facing cities have significant consequences for human health, the quality of life of urban citizens and the economic performance of the cities themselves. The 6th Environment Action Programme (6th EAP) called for the development of a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment with the objective of ‘contributing to a better quality of life through an integrated approach concentrating on urban areas’ and to contribute ‘to a high level of quality of life and social well-being for citizens by providing an environment where the level of pollution does not give rise to harmful effects on human health and the environment and by encouraging sustainable urban development’.

In line with the 6th EAP, the Commission set out its initial analysis of the challenges facing urban areas in an interim Communication,4 and suggested actions in four priority themes: urban management, sustainable transport, construction and urban design, such as mainstreaming of good practice and possible EU obligations to adopt plans at the local level. Extensive consultations of stakeholders and thorough analysis of possible ways forward have taken place, the results of which are the basis for the present strategy.

The Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment is a policy document created and adopted by the European Commission.

European Commission - Directorate General Environment
Henk Kalfsbeek (Acting Head of Communication & Governance), tel. +322 2953677

11/01/2006

policy

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment

Urban economy