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05 September 2025

Applications now open for the “Compact Cities” Partnership!

by Malta Discover the Urban Contact Point
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Applications now open for the “Compact Cities” Partnership!
The European Union is inviting urban authorities, Member States, regions, and other stakeholders to join a new Thematic Partnership on Compact Cities under the Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU). This initiative responds to the pressing challenge of urban sprawl by promoting compact, sustainable, and efficient urban development across Europe. The Partnership will bring together diverse actors—including public authorities, NGOs, academia, and the private sector—to collaboratively shape urban policies that support greener, more inclusive, and better-connected cities.

The Compact Cities Partnership builds on the UAEU’s collaborative model, which addresses urban issues through three pillars: Better Regulation, Better Funding, and Better Knowledge. Compact urban development is seen as a strategic response to the negative impacts of sprawl, such as car dependency, environmental degradation, and social inequality. The 2023 Gijon Agreement and the 2025 Ex-Ante Assessment confirmed the importance of this theme, highlighting how compact urban forms can enhance accessibility, urban mobility, and social cohesion. Public policies that support densification, regeneration, and mixed-use planning are key to achieving these outcomes.

The Compact Cities Partnership builds on the UAEU’s collaborative model, which addresses urban issues through three pillars: Better Regulation, Better Funding, and Better Knowledge. Compact urban development is seen as a strategic response to the negative impacts of sprawl, such as car dependency, environmental degradation, and social inequality. The 2023 Gijon Agreement and the 2025 Ex-Ante Assessment confirmed the importance of this theme, highlighting how compact urban forms can enhance accessibility, urban mobility, and social cohesion. Public policies that support densification, regeneration, and mixed-use planning are key to achieving these outcomes.

By joining the Compact Cities Partnership, stakeholders can help shape the future of urban development in Europe. The initiative offers a unique platform to tackle sprawl, promote sustainable growth, and contribute to better EU urban policy. With support from the UAEU and EUI, participants will play a key role in creating more resilient, inclusive, and well-planned cities across the continent.