A joint declaration by EU Ministers reaffirms key principles of post-2027 cohesion and urban policy

On 21 May 2025, EU Ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion, and urban policy met in Warsaw for an informal gathering under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The meeting highlighted the importance of integrating the territorial dimension into post-2027 EU policies and financial frameworks.

Call for a strong territorial dimension in the post-2027 EU framework

The joint declaration calls on the European Commission to ensure that the EU’s strategic, legislative, and financial frameworks, both for the post-2027 period and current policy actions, including the new EU policy agenda for cities, fully incorporate a territorial dimension and effectively address shared EU challenges and priorities.

The declaration underlines the continued relevance of key strategic documents such as the Territorial Agenda 2030, the New Leipzig Charter, and the Urban Agenda for the EU, which collectively support balanced territorial development and sustainable urban planning throughout Europe. EU Ministers highlighted the critical importance of key cohesion policy principles—multi-level governance, partnership, and a place-based approach—which are also reflected in the Territorial Agenda, the Urban Agenda for the EU, and the New Leipzig Charter. They stressed that these principles should remain at the core of future EU policy design and implementation. Emphasis was placed on strengthening cooperation among national, regional, and local authorities.

Recognising the role of regions and cities

The declaration acknowledges the vital role of regions, cities of all sizes, and their functional areas as strategic partners in the development and implementation of EU policies, not merely as recipients of funding. It emphasises the need for effective engagement mechanisms, including stronger involvement of existing coordination bodies throughout the entire policy cycle.

Additionally, the declaration calls for the consolidation and improved coordination of various EU instruments targeting cities and their functional areas. This aims to enhance their accessibility, efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and overall usefulness for regional and local authorities.

Aligning the Urban Agenda for the EU with the new EU Agenda for Cities

The declaration also holds significance for the work of all Urban Agenda Thematic Partnerships, as it emphasises the need to strengthen the operational aspects of the Urban Agenda, particularly its Better Regulation initiatives. It calls for improved coordination and greater synergy between the Urban Agenda and other EU programmes, ensuring consistency and alignment with the evolving urban policy landscape.

This statement by the EU Ministers comes at a pivotal moment in the development of the post-2027 urban policy. The European Commission's public consultation on the future EU Agenda for Cities concluded on May 26, and a stakeholder dialogue is planned for June 2025 as part of the 6th edition of the Cities Forum. The new agenda for cities is expected to be adopted in the fourth quarter of 2025.

In this context, a central message of the declaration is the call for enhanced coordination, continuity, and complementarity between the current Urban Agenda and the forthcoming EU Agenda for Cities. This approach aims to create a coherent and integrated framework for sustainable urban development across the European Union.

The full version of the Joint Declaration can be found here.