Union urged to put cities at the centre

Date: 27/02/1997

By Mark Turner

THE EU should pay more attention to its cities when implementing Union policy, a report to be released by the European Commission this spring will warn.

The paper will reflect growing fears that many of Europe's urban centres are being forgotten by EU administrators and politicians in their rush for greater competitiveness.

But it will take a cautious approach which is likely to disappoint advocates of a fully fledged Union urban strategy. Officials stress the Commission will not attempt to take over any of the role of local authorities, but will instead highlight the lack of a coordinated approach to the EU's urban problems.

“The idea is to take stock of what is already done at a European level, and sketch out the need for a new approach,” said an official. “Many European policies have an impact on cities; we need to consolidate them, and launch into an extensive debate with other European institutions like the Parliament and the Committee of the Regions.”

There is concern that existing EU instruments, such as Urban (aimed at combating inner city decay) and the so-called Article 10 urban pilot project scheme, are insufficient safeguards against the more unwanted by-products of other Union policies.

“Take the Trans-European Networks. If we leave things as they are, the railways will only benefit strategically positioned cities, leaving more peripheral centres by the wayside. This must be avoided,” said the official.

Urban pressure groups say the report will not go far enough. “There is no talk about new objectives - we need something more specific,” said one group leader.

Some Commission officials are also unhappy, but for the opposite reason - that the paper goes too far. Industry officials are anxious to ensure local concern for sidelined cities does not detract from the international push for economic growth.