The European Union and its Member States have endorsed an action-oriented implementation of the New Urban Agenda, anchored in the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, the Pact for the Future, and the Sevilla Commitment, according to a statement delivered on 16 July 2026 at the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the New Urban Agenda. The statement, delivered by EU Ambassador Renaud Savignat, outlines four EU priorities: housing, localization and multilevel governance, gender-responsive and disability-inclusive approaches, and climate and environmental resilience.
The EU welcomed the adoption of the Political Declaration on the midterm review, thanking the Co-Facilitators from Poland and Malawi for their leadership. On housing, the EU stressed the need for adequate, affordable, energy-efficient, and quality housing for all, and welcomed the recognition of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Adequate Housing for All. On localization, the EU called for inclusive multilevel governance systems that empower local authorities, including direct access to finance and domestic resource mobilization. The EU also championed gender equality and disability-inclusive planning, emphasizing commitments to gender-based violence prevention and safe public spaces. On climate, the EU urged coherence with the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, highlighting integrated water management, renewable energy, disaster risk reduction, and circular economy. The statement also noted the role of data, technology, and innovation, and reaffirmed support for UN-Habitat. Through the Global Gateway initiative, the EU is mobilizing financing for sustainable urban energy, mobility, water, and digital infrastructure in partner countries.
The statement was also aligned with candidate countries including Turkiye, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, as well as Armenia, San Marino, and the United Kingdom.