The EU’s NetZeroCities platform has announced further support for 25 cities striving to become climate neutral by 2030. These cities are part of the EU Cities Mission and will collectively receive over 14 million Euros through the Horizon Europe program to become ‘Pilot Cities’. This initiative will enable them to test innovative decarbonisation strategies across … Read more
Tallinn’s Deputy Mayor, Madle Lippus, advocates for revitalizing the city center to prevent its decline, emphasizing the need for infrastructure projects. Key focuses include improving access to the city center and addressing the shortage of kindergartens. Plans include extending the tram line and creating a bicycle-sharing system. While challenges persist, such as slow progress on … Read more
Valencia, known for its sunshine, has been named Europe’s Green Capital, praised for its 5 million square meters of green space and the accessibility of nature to its residents. Winning the title comes with a 600,000 euro grant and valuable marketing benefits. Paola Llobet, Valencia’s councillor for tourism and innovation, sees it as recognition of … Read more
Bucharest, Romania, is gaining popularity among tourists, earning the nickname “new Berlin” due to its beautiful architecture and vibrant city center. With a bustling nightlife and affordable options, it’s becoming a top choice for city breaks. The city’s thriving cafe culture, with its array of specialty coffee shops, adds to its charm. The Old Town, … Read more
The European Observatory for City Center, launched by Centre-Ville en Mouvement in February 2024 at the European Parliament, held its first online conference on April 3rd, focusing on governance and financing models for downtowns and commercial arteries, with examples from Canada and Italy. Discussions highlighted practices such as Commercial Development Corporations (CDCs) in Canada, which … Read more
In this town in eastern Slovenia, after years of renovations to the city center financed by national, local, and European funds, culture has been restored as the central element of urban policy. The municipality aims to further revitalize the historical district by proposing additional cultural spaces and intergenerational meetings, resulting in a diverse lineup of … Read more
Inside the Czech capital, authorities have made the decision to limit the automobile traffic for all vehicles (except for residents, taxis, and all other vehicles that possess an authorization). Prague’s first district will then be closed for access between 10pm and 6am. The goal? Reduce noise pollution which has been affecting the city center’s residents … Read more
Milan, the capital of fashion, is at a crossroad concerning pollution. As we are facing more and more issues having to do with climate change, a decision has to be made to reduce emissions. The mayor is choosing to target private traffic within the confines of the city center in order to reduce the pollution … Read more
In this municipality, the initiative consists in gathering several little businesses within the same commercial premises. The main goal is to encourage small businesses to take a chance to open their shops and test out the profitability while enjoying a lower rent. This comes after the realization that there needs to be a change of … Read more
As it is the case in most city centers across Europe, there is a need to adapt to the changes following the pandemic which fueled the development of e-commerce amongst other things. Germany has understood the challenge, the main take-away being that we need to rethink city centers as an ensemble. It is the whole … Read more
*This event is not organized by the French Government. However we have been allowed by the French Government to use the emblem of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
