Compact Cities

The Call for Partners aims at establishing a new Thematic Partnership under the Urban Agenda for the European Union (UAEU) on the theme Compact Cities - Sustainable Urban Planning and Sprawl Mitigation. The call is open from 27 August and is scheduled to remain open until 1 October 2025, 14:00 (CEST).

Apply now to become a partner! It is quick and easy. 

1. Familiarise yourself with the documents available

The Background Document provides information on the thematic focus of the partnership, about the call and the selection process, categories of stakeholders invited to apply and the eligibility criteria.
Download the Background Document

Furthermore, we encourage interested stakeholders to consult the Ex-Ante Assessment for a more in-depth understanding of the scope of the thematic area and what already exists on the topic. The EAA, is an evidence-based research report, written by an external experts which explores the relevance and necessity of the theme and defines the scope of the partnership. What exists and what has already been done on the theme? What are the challenges, the gaps and the opportunities?
Download the Ex-Ante Assessment

2. Access and fill in the application form on the EUI platform

The application form is easy to fill in and it allows you to save changes throughout, making it possible to work on the form in several rounds. 
Make sure to read the questions and instructions thoroughly and respond concisely. Please note, you will be need to create an account before submitting your application. Creating an account will facilitate the user experience on the EUI website as well as it will allow you to join the community on Portico. 

Apply now! ↗

Only applications submitted in English will be accepted.

Applications should be submitted via the application form on the EUI website by 1 October 2025 at 14:00 (CEST).

Applicant seminar

An online applicant seminar will take place on 3 September where interested stakeholders will get more information about the application process as well as what to expect from a Thematic Partnership within the Urban Agenda for the EU.

Register for the online applicant seminar

We invite interested stakeholders to consult the video below to learn more about the nature of Urban Agenda Thematic Partnerships.

Frequently answered questions 

Consult our dedicated online FAQ document to find answers to frequently asked questions about the UAEU Call for Partners for the new Thematic Partnership. This FAQ is based on real inquiries from previous partnership applicants and is designed to assist you throughout the application process. If you can't find the answer you are looking for, you can submit your questions here! 

The thematic area of "Compact Cities – Sustainable Urban Planning and Sprawl Mitigation" focuses on promoting dense, efficient, and sustainable urban development as a response to the widespread challenge of urban sprawl across Europe. Sprawl, characterised by low-density, car-dependent, and fragmented land use, imposes significant environmental, economic, and social costs—ranging from biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions to higher infrastructure costs and transport poverty. The compact city model offers an alternative by emphasising spatial planning strategies that limit greenfield development (containment), make better use of existing urban areas (densification), and regenerate under-used spaces (regeneration).