The European Commission aims to turbocharge urban growth and prosperity across the EU’s cities by rolling out a new strategic agenda targeting sustainability, digital innovation, and cohesion starting in 2025. By placing cities front and center, this agenda seeks to engage local authorities, urban practitioners, and regional policymakers alike, stirring reactions from city governments, urban businesses, and EU funding bodies who will all feel the palpable impact of the proposed shifts.
Published on December 3, 2025, this communication COM(2025)739 comes from the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (REGIO). It serves as a forward-looking policy communication outlining strategic intentions rather than new legislation.
This document is a policy communication setting out future-oriented plans rather than mandatory rules. It proposes concrete initiatives like instituting high-level political dialogues starting 2026, launching an EU Cities web-portal by late 2025, publishing regular “State of European Cities” reports, and organizing biennial forums. Additionally, it details continued support through current and future EU multiannual financial frameworks but stops short of detailed budget numbers or rigid deadlines.
Policy orientations emphasize reinforcing EU-level urban coordination without encroaching on local autonomy, boosting green and digital transitions in cities, and fostering inclusive, resilient urban environments. This agenda recalibrates the balance towards increased EU oversight through enhanced dialogue platforms and reporting, while prioritizing tailored, integrated urban development to address diverse city realities.
Stakeholders impacted include city administrations who gain new channels for political dialogue and technical support but also face heightened coordination demands; urban innovation enterprises poised to benefit from knowledge-sharing and funding; EU regional policymakers who must align local priorities with new EU-driven urban goals; and taxpayers who ultimately finance expanded urban initiatives, balancing investments against expected urban growth and cohesion dividends.
This communication launches a strategic dialogue phase anticipated to extend through 2035. It initiates institutional dialogues especially with the Committee of the Regions and calls for broader stakeholder engagement via forums and digital tools. While not a legislative milestone, it sets a framework for evolving urban policy that other EU bodies and national governments will monitor and respond to in coming years.