European Urban Initiative launches Calls for City-to-City Exchanges and Peer Reviews

The European Urban Initiative (EUI) has announced two opportunities for European cities: the continuous call for city-to-city exchanges and the autumn peer review call. Both aimed at fostering knowledge sharing and capacity building for sustainable urban development.

Continuous call for City-to-City Exchanges

The EUI City-to-City Exchanges, initially launched in 2023, are now open for applications on a rolling basis. This initiative connects urban authorities (“applicants”) facing specific challenges in implementing sustainable urban development strategies with other EU cities (“peers”) that can provide relevant expertise and support. 

The exchanges are demand-driven and focus on short-term visits addressing particular urban development issues. Any urban authority from an EU Member State, regardless of size, can apply. Applications are particularly encouraged from:

• Cities with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants
• Less developed regions
• Regions in transition 
• Article 11 Cities.

Eligible applicants must demonstrate an interest in integrated, place-based approaches to sustainable urban development or involvement in implementing such strategies. As of August 2024, 40 city-to-city exchanges have been approved, with a success rate of over 85 %.

To facilitate peer identification and good practices, the EUI offers useful advice and resources, including the Urban Matchmaker tool, the Policy Atlas of Sustainable Urban Development for Small Urban Areas and other case studies published by JRC, and good practice databases such as those from Portico, URBACT and the Interreg Europe. The EUI Permanent Secretariat also provides support through guidance documents, webinars, and consultations to assist cities in the application process.

Applications for City-to-City Exchanges can be submitted via the EU Survey platform and are reviewed on an ongoing basis, with approvals within four weeks. Applicants are advised to prepare their submissions using the Courtesy Application Form word template before completing the online form.

Apply here or follow this link for more information. 

Call for Peer Reviews

The EUI has also launched its fourth round of peer reviews, with applications open until 13 November 2024. Peer reviews are fully funded by the EUI and aim to help European cities improve the design and implementation of their sustainable urban development strategies through peer learning and benchmarking.

A city can apply to be a ‘city under review’, seeking support on a specific challenge related to its SUD strategy, or a ‘peer reviewer’, contributing expertise to help address challenges. Each peer review involves one ‘city under review’ matched with six ‘peer reviewers’. Additionally, ‘cities under review’ are accompanied by two peer review experts throughout the process.

Each peer review follows a five-step implementation process:

1. Confirm the scope of the peer review;
2. Get matched with a city under review or peer reviewers;
3. Prepare for the peer review event;
4. Participate in the two-day peer review event;
5. Follow up on the outcomes of the event.

To be eligible as a ‘city under review’, urban authorities must qualify for ERDF support under Article 11 of the ERDF Regulation.

An information session on the peer review call is scheduled for 22 October 2024, where potential applicants can learn more about the process.

Detailed guidance for Peer Review applicants is available here.

Further details on the Peer Review structure and application process can be found on the call for Peer Reviews page on the EUI website: Call for Peer Reviews | EUI (urban-initiative.eu)

Authors: Andrew King & Jonathan De Vriendt

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.