The city network EUROCITIES currently represents 139 cities, each with a population of more than 250,000 inhabitants, as well as 40 partner cities. The voice of these 130 million citizens cannot be ignored by EU institutions.
In total, around three-quarters of all EU citizens live and work in urban centres – and European metropolises are growing. The diversity and prosperity of the EU are rooted in the contributions made by the urban population. For this reason, it is essential to consider cities’ concerns when taking political decisions within the EU. The work of the EUROCITIES network is based on two central pillars: On the one hand, it is concerned with debating various matters relating to a city’s work (good practice, EU projects). On the other hand, it is central to its work to communicate the interests of the city to opinion shapers and decision makers in EU institutions, especially the European Commission and the European Parliament.
In the field of social housing, Vienna has established a level of competence that is recognised across Europe. We now contribute this know-how to the new EU Urban Partnership on Affordable Housing. It is our duty to point out that a good supply of social and affordable dwellings not only prevents ghetto formation, but also promotes social cohesion and boosts the economy. Evidently, citizens forced to spend half of their income on housing have no funds left for any other investment.
The focus of the work of the WG Housing is on “Affordable Housing in European Cities”. One aim is to show how affordable housing can contribute to social cohesion on a larger scale, by preventing segregation and the development of social or ethnic ghettos. Vienna chairs the Eurocities Working Group Housing