URDICO-Policy Recommendations
Final report
February 02, 2026
This annex of the ESPON URDICO final report presents policy recommendations to strengthen the urban dimension of EU Cohesion Policy beyond 2027. Drawing on city case studies, multi-level analysis, and participatory consultations, it addresses challenges such as fragmented governance, limited administrative capacity, and weak alignment between urban strategies and EU funding. Recommendations guide cities, regions, national authorities, and the EU on improving strategic roles, multi-level coordination, integrated territorial approaches, and direct urban engagement in policy design and fund management. The brief provides practical, evidence-based guidance to enhance cities’ ability to deliver sustainable, inclusive, and strategically aligned EU investments.
This publication comes from an ESPON project
[URDICO] - Urban Dimension of Cohesion Policy and other EU programmes
Project
February 18, 2025