The New Leipzig Charter and the Urban Agenda for the EU
On the 30th of November the Informal Meeting of Ministers responsible for Urban Matters took place with State Secretary #Bohle, Ministers and State Secretaries of Member States, Commissioner #Ferreira, president #Tzitzicostas of the Comité van de Regio's, European Investmentbank, EESC, OECD, UN, #EUROCITIES and more.
In the morning Minister #Ollongren of the Netherlands gave her vision on sustainable development of European cities, during a keynote speech. Seeing COVID as a grave crisis but also as an opportunity to speed up green and digital transitions in European cities.
She draws special attention to involving young people and states her wish for the future city:
“I hope that the economy in these cities is flourishing in a bustling commercial environment. That everyone has access to fast, cheap Internet. That people, rich and poor, young and old, and from all corners of the globe, live together in harmony and can have their say. That they are happy, confident, safe and healthy. That, ladies and gentlemen, is my wish for the future of our cities.”
In the afternoon I (Dutch Urban Envoy) spoke on the de results and future of the #UAEU.
The Urban agenda post-2020 should above all be pratical and concrete, focused on improving the position of European Cities and their citizens in Europe whilst tackling transitions and facing urban challenges. The cities and Partnerships are the true powerhouse of the Urban Agenda. Crucial is the continuation of multi-level cooperation, shared ownership and broad highlevel commitment. The Netherlands, as founding father 'Pact of Amsterdam', will stay invested and continue this journey with the ‘Urban Family’.
State Secretary Bohle holds up two documents that were adopted at the meeting:
1) The #NewLeipzigCharter (NLC) outlines principles for future urban sustainable development in Europe and offering a framework of necessary conditions needed by cities and all urban practitioners to unleash the full potential of the transformative power of cities for the common good. Emphasizing the importance of green, just and productive cities supporting the implemenation of the @SustainableDevelopmentGoals of the UN.
2) The Implementation Document (ID) makes the Urban Agenda for the EU the instrument for implementing the NLC.
https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/EN/2020/12/new-leipzig-charter.html
Coordinator Urban Agenda Partnership on Innovative and Responsible Public Procurement /Chair Eurocities Working Group Public Procurement / Expert
4 年Thank you very much for your important contribution!