Mayor Sazonov is one of six mayors that European Commission Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto invited to the flagship development meeting.
The theme of this year’s gathering is “Shaping Tomorrow, Together”. Discussions taking place during the event will be structured around three main themes: renewal of the EU Cohesion Policy, strengthening the vitality of regions and cities’ role as promoters of innovation, climate resilience and social inclusion.
Cities are in a key position to solve many of the European Union’s future challenges. They are more than just places where people live, as they also drive economic growth, technological development and the green and digital transitions. Seventy-five per cent of the EU population lives in urban areas at present, and this share is expected to rise to 78 per cent by the year 2050.
A shared vision for cities of all sizes
The European Commission is currently preparing a new EU Agenda for Cities, which will create a shared vision for cities of all sizes and strengthen the role of cities in EU policy.
The meeting in Brussels provides a forum for further dialogue and exchange between the mayors of major EU cities and other key shareholders. The aim is to ensure that the forthcoming EU Agenda for Cities will meet the real needs of Europe’s cities.
