The European Urban Initiative (EUI) provides support to cities in improving and increasing their capacities in designing strategies, policies and projects for sustainable urban development.

At the moment EUI has launched two calls for capacity building activities: Call  for City-to-City Exchanges and Call for Cities under Review.

 Call City-to-City Exchanges

The objective of the call is to improve the applicant's ability to tackle the identified challenge through a process of mutual learning and exchange of expertise. Colleagues are expected to share practical knowledge and knowledge that is adapted to the established challenge and the applicant's urban context. 

Eligible applicants - only city authorities from EU member states (no minimum population limit for a city, functional urban area or suburb). Cities with less than 500,000 inhabitants and from less developed regions and transition regions are especially encouraged to apply. 

The invitation was opened on 4 April 2023 and will close on 17 November 2023 at 12:00 CET. Applications are submitted and approved for implementation on a periodic basis while the call is open.

Call for City-to City Exchanges

EUI-  Guidance for Applicants - Call  for City-to-City Exchanges

Application

Call for Cities under Review

EUI reviews are a set of pre-defined activities carried out by a group of cities to compare their sustainable urban development (SUD) strategies. The goal is to improve the design and implementation of SUD strategies through the process of benchmarking, collegial learning and making recommendations.This activity brings together city authorities that are being audited - they are cities under review - and urban authorities that provide insight into the challenges faced by cities under review - they are peers. The expert review follows a certain fixed methodology and implementation process. 

Eligible authorities are urban authorities involved in designing, updating or implementing a SUD strategy in line with article 11 of the ERDF Regulation (i.e. "article 11 cities"). Applications are particularly encouraged from:

• Article 11 cities that were not article 7 cities in the 2014-2020 period, considering they lack previous experience on developing a SUD strategy.
• Cities with up to 500,000 inhabitants.
• Cities within less developed regions.
• Cities within transition regions.
• Cities that have not benefitted from a Peer Review organised by the Urban Development Network in the 2014-2020 programming period.

More information on the eligibility and evaluation criteria are available in the Guidance for cities under review.

The Call will be open from 4 April to 29 May 2023 at 12.00 CEST.

Call for Cities under ReviewEUI-Guidance for Applicants - Cities under ReviewApplicationIf you would like to discuss your city directly with EUI, book a 15-minute one-on-one consultation with EUI's capacity building team (one consultation per application):

• Call Booking Page - Call City-to-City Exchanges here
• Call reservation page - Call for Cities under Review here.

Source: EUI