The European Union and Urban Development

A Dossier

By propagating a specific ideal of the 'European City', the European Union significantly influences development policy in the continent's urban regions. Officially, the EU does not have a remit to do so, but the future of its cities is is seen as crucially important for the future of the Union itself. The EU Commission has therefore favoured strategically a 'multi-governance' model for urban development, which has gradually increased the influence of local and regional 'actors' on national urban policies - mediated by an extensive lobby and 'discourse network' largely under the supranational Commission's guidance. The Dossier outlines how this strategy developed from the 1990s onwards, culminating in the 2016 'Pact of Amsterdam'. It presents an analysis of all relevant documents of the last three decades, describes the main 'actors' of EU urban development and traces the 'consensual method' of urban policy in contemporary Europe. It also presents an overview of practically all EU-financed or co-funded projects in European cities since the 1990s and their rationales of EU cohesion, environmental and climate change mitigation policies in favour of urban-regional development.