Beschreibung
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.
Autorenportrait
Hans-Werner Hess:
The author is Professor for European Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Hong Kong Baptist University and Deputy Director of its Asia Europe Policy Center for Comparative Research (EAP). From 2014 to 2018 he has led the 'Urban Innovations' project of the European Union Academic Programme in Hong Kong.
Weronika Cycak:
The co-author is Senior Research Assistant at the Asia Europe Policy Center for Comparative Research (EAP) at the Hong Kong Baptist University and has been a main contributor to the 'Urban Innovations' research and outreach project of the European Union Academic Programme in Hong Kong (2014-2018) and the EAP.
