Cities are key to achieving EU 2020 goals, says new EUROCITIES President

EUROCITIES, the political network of Europe’s largest 130 cities, has warned the EU that Europe misses meeting its 2020 goals unless it works in close partnership with Europe’s cities and recognises their full potential.

Johanna Rolland, Mayor of Nantes, who officially became the new President of EUROCITIES today, called for strategic and effective partnerships between cities and the new European Commission and Parliament, to get the EU back on track to deliver on its 2020 goals for growth.

“Europe is in a crucial part of transition with change in the Parliament and Commission,” Rolland told Cities Today, during the Brussels-based network’s annual meeting, hosted by the City of Munich. “That is why it is very important at this moment that EUROCITIES reinforces its voice.”

The main priorities outlined by the new President, together with 60 city leaders gathered from across Europe, include greater recognition of cities, a focus on employment and public investment in local public services, and reinforcing the link between climate, energy and the environment, with smart cities and smart citizens.

“We have seen an impressive level of encouragement from city leaders here in Munich,” Rolland added. “They are committed to tackling some of Europe’s major challenges, many of which are the same as those we face in our cities on a daily basis, around social inclusion, climate and economic development. The solutions we are developing in cities can benefit Europe as a whole.”

Europe 2020 is the EU’s ten-year growth and jobs strategy that was launched in 2010. Five headline targets have been set for the EU to achieve by the end of 2020 that include employment, research and development, climate and energy, education, social inclusion and poverty reduction.