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Urban Agenda: Pact of Amsterdam
The European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions warmly welcome the agreement and mobilise to avoid it falls short of making EU laws ‘urban proof’
A week ahead of the endorsement of the Pact of Amsterdam by EU ministers for urban affairs, Kerstin Westphal (S&D, DE) and Hella Dunger-Loeper (PES, DE) – rapporteurs on the Urban Agenda for the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) – raise concerns on its actual impact.
The European Parliament and the CoR have repeatedly acknowledged the importance of the work done under the Dutch Presidency to eventually turn the idea of an agenda for sustainable urban development across Europe into reality next 30 May, when the 28 ministers in charge for urban affairs will endorse the Pact of Amsterdam.
Nonetheless, to bring real benefits to EU urban community, the Pact should mark the starting point of a real change of the way EU and national rules for cities are shaped and implemented, warn MEPs and local leaders. They are therefore determined to ensure the continuity and the effective implementation of a political initiative impacting on thousands of European towns and cities.
“The Pact would fall short of its genuine ambition if it were just about a stronger cooperation among national governments. Arguing that there is no explicit EU competence in urban affairs is a fig leaf to negate the reality of the urban impact of EU policies and the need to move up a gear to swiftly implement this Urban Agenda” stressed the European Parliament rapporteur Kerstin Westphal.
“Only a real, shared and cross-cutting effort for better regulation of urban-relevant EU rules, funding and tools, accompanied by the setting-up of a one-stop-shop helping local administrators to get the most out of existing opportunities, can boost sustainable development in our cities”, said Berlin State Secretary Hella Dunger-Loeper. According to her, the Pact of Amsterdam "needs the full commitment of the entire European Commission and must be 'emancipated' from regional policy.
Indeed, from a joint assessment of the last version Pact, the rapporteurs agreed that the modified text emphasises the intergovernmental dimension of initiative. The change in the naming of the Agenda itself – no longer an EU Urban Agenda but instead an Urban Agenda for the EU – seems to go in this direction. According to the rapporteurs, in the upcoming months joint efforts should focus on complementing the stronger cooperation among national and local governments with a stronger role of the European Commission to assess the needs of cities and involve in the improvement of rules and funding strategies.
To better address urban challenges such as air quality, migrant inclusion or urban poverty, regions and cities are ready to boost bottom-up urban innovation across the Union, whilst the Parliament will carefully consider the results and recommendations of the thematic partnerships established under the Agenda.
Contact:
Pierluigi Boda
Tel: +32 2 282 2461
Mobile: +32 473 85 17 43
pierluigi.boda@cor.europa.eu
Kristina-Antigoni ELEFTERIE
European Parliament
Tel: (+32) 2 28 32798 (BXL)
Tel: (+32) 3 88 1 74651 (STR)
Mobile: (+32) 498 98 32 83
region-press@europarl.europa.eu
