EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities

Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities

Introduction

To achieve the objective of sustainable cities, an integral approach to urban issues must be chosen. In addition, the European structural funds should be made available for local projects that embrace this integral approach. This is the most important message of the Leipzig Charter, which was adopted by the European ministers responsible for urban policy on 24 May.

Description

The Leipzig Charter is a step towards an agenda for a ‘European large cities policy’. By adopting the document, the EU recognizes the important social, cultural and economic role that cities play.

The central message in the Leipzig Charter is the necessity of ‘integrated strategies and coordinated action’. The necessity of an integral approach imposes requirements on the institutional setting in which the (European) large cities policy is enacted. All levels of government – local, regional, national and European – have an interest in healthy cities and share the responsibility for the success of cities.

Europe must draw up a general framework in which urban policy can be enacted. European structural funds must be made available for local projects that embrace this integral approach. In addition, Europe can play a major role in stimulating and facilitating the exchange of knowledge between cities.
At a national level, the departments involved must work together better and financing sources for urban developments can best be combined.
European cities (and metropolitan regions) must draw up integral development plans. It is up to the local governments to co-ordinate the implementation of these plans. National, local and regional governments must be involved in drawing up the plans, as well as interested individual citizens and private organizations. In endorsement of the Bristol Accord, the Leipzig Charter emphasizes repeatedly that the skills must be developed at local level by all the parties involved, to enable them to play their role with verve.

The Leipzig Charter mentions areas on which urban policy should now focus in any event:

dealing with deprived neighbourhoods
improving the public spaces
modernising infrastructure with a focus on saving energy
better education for young children and refresher training for workers
better and more efficient public transport in and between cities

EU involvement

The Charter is an initiative of the German EU Presidency. It was adopted by the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers in Leipzig on 24 May 2007.

Contact info

German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs (BMVBS)

Publication date

24/05/2007

Links

Visit the BMVBS website

Download the Charter in Bulgarian (PDF, Bul, 100 Kb)

Download the Charter in Czech (PDF, Cze, 100 Kb)

Download the Charter in Danish (PDF, Dan, 100 Kb)

Download the Charter in English (PDF, Eng, 100 Kb)

Download the Charter in Spanish (PDF, Spa, 100 Kb)

Download the Charter in Estonian (PDF, Est, 100 Kb)