Unlocking the Power of EU Funds for Cities

Cities and metropolitan areas are at the heart of Europe’s innovation and public investment, with EU cohesion policy, an impactful local development source, playing a pivotal role in driving it forward through a significantly grown urban dimension. The ESPON URDICO targeted analysis helps better understand how EU funds support cities to deliver on local and European goals and how EU investments are used on the ground, where critical gaps remain. Main findings and practical recommendations will be discussed with a focus on how to align funding with long-term urban development needs, boost local administrative and fiscal capacity and ensure cities are equipped to tackle future challenges.