Eurocities
Encyclopedia
EUROCITIES is the network of major European cities.
The EUROCITIES network was founded in 1986 by mayors from six large European cities:
In 2011 the network includes more than 135 European cities from 34 different countries, and most European capital cities are members. The EUROCITIES secretariat is based in Brussels, Belgium.
The founders suggested that major European cities could benefit from forming such an association. They intended to form a political platform to act as a channel for communicating with the European institutions and to become recognised as significant partners in the European community and each member's state.
Companies and businesses are allowed to become associated business partners.
The EUROCITIES network was founded in 1986 by mayors from six large European cities:
- BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... - BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... - FrankfurtFrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... - LyonLyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... - RotterdamRotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
In 2011 the network includes more than 135 European cities from 34 different countries, and most European capital cities are members. The EUROCITIES secretariat is based in Brussels, Belgium.
The founders suggested that major European cities could benefit from forming such an association. They intended to form a political platform to act as a channel for communicating with the European institutions and to become recognised as significant partners in the European community and each member's state.
Activities
EUROCITIES works along three complementary strands of activities:- networking: through forums and working groups, EUROCITIES offers members the chance to develop contacts with colleagues in other European cities. Cities can exchange experiences and ideas, meet people in other European cities who are working on the same issues and form ideas for common projects and innovative working methods.
- influencing: representing the interests of cities towards the European institutions and strengthens the role of cities in European decision-making through concrete actions.
- visibility: providing a European platform to city politicians and representing cities through the European and local media and international campaigns and events.
Membership criteria
Membership of EUROCITIES is open to any European city with a population of 250,000 or more. Cities within the European Union become full members, and other European cities become associate members. Local authorities and organisations not eligible to become full or associate members can become associated partners.Companies and businesses are allowed to become associated business partners.