Implementation of the European Urban Initiative in 2022-2024

Europe is facing multiple challenges, from economic recovery and building inclusive societies, to tackling climate change, environmental degradation and demographic change, to the twin green and digital transitions. Cities are places where all the challenges are coming together and where new solutions can be tried and tested in ways that make a difference to people.Cohesion policy has a strong urban dimension, and its support to sustainable urban development was reinforced for the 2021-2027 programming period to help cities take active role in designing and implementing policy responses to their local challenges. As a result, Cohesion Funds invest more than EUR 100 billion in cities, and cities are directly responsible for designing and implementing investments for over EUR 24 billion under the Cohesion policy programmes.In addition, a new European Urban Initiative (EUI)1 was established within the urban dimension of Cohesion policy for the 2021-2027 programming period. With a budget of EUR 395 million2, it is an instrument to support cities of all sizes, to build capacity and knowledge, to support innovation and develop transferable and scalable solutions to urban challenges of EU relevance. Activities are coordinated with and complemented by the URBACT programme3 and provide support to the intergovernmental work under the Urban Agenda for the EU.The present report describes the EUI activities and the implementation results from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2024.