Forward Looking Survey

The European Urban Initiative (EUI) is an initiative of the European Union (EU) funded in the framework of the EU Cohesion Policy for the programming period 2021-2027. Its purpose is to support urban areas of all sizes with innovative actions, capacity and knowledge building, as well as policy development and communication on sustainable urban development.

In this context, EUI has launched the Forward-Looking Survey as a key knowledge building activity that will be conducted every two years, the 2024 being its first edition. The objective of the survey is to consult cities and all relevant stakeholders to identify key trends, challenges, knowledge gaps and support needs in the field of sustainable urban development in the European Union. In this way, the European Commission and the EUI Entrusted Entity (see “About the European Urban Initiative” section for further details) will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the emerging dynamics and needs of urban areas and to ensure that EUI activities and services are aligned with them.

Sustainable urban development is understood here as a place-based and integrated approach that addresses the complex facets of urban life by combining environmental, economic, social and cultural dimensions. This approach, which is at the heart of the EU Cohesion Policy, concerns all types of policy sectors including urban design and planning, education, economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection, and it requires strong cooperation between citizens, civil society, business and government. It is about addressing major challenges such as the green and digital transitions, demographic change, migration, economic stagnation and climate change. Effective response to these issues supports the objectives of the European Green Deal and reinforces the goals of the EU Cohesion Policy by ensuring urban resilience, inclusiveness and sustainability.

If you represent an urban authority, but also if you work in a regional or national authority, if you are an urban practitioner or a researcher in urban development, or if you represent any other organisation involved in urban policies and planning or implementing urban development strategies, this survey is for you!

It is a unique opportunity to express your views and have an impact in shaping the content and strategic direction of EUI activities, to inform the urban dimension of EU Cohesion Policy and beyond.

Before completing the survey, please read carefully these instructions to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data collected.

Some guiding rules for providing clear and valuable feedback

- If you are a representative of an urban authority, to the maximum extent possible, please provide a single coordinated response to the survey that reflects the collective views of your local administration.  Where appropriate, consult with different departments or roles within your organisation to gain a comprehensive view. This collaborative approach can enrich the response and provide a more rounded perspective.

A PDF version of the questionnaire is available here as a courtesy document in support of coordination efforts.

- In all other cases, where possible, you are also encouraged to provide a single coordinated response that reflect the views of your organisation. 

- Read the questions carefully to ensure that your answers accurately address the request and that important details are not overlooked.

- Use examples: where requested in the survey, include examples to illustrate your points. This can help to clarify your answers.

Completion time and deadline

The survey should take approximately 20 minutes of your time. You can submit your contribution to this survey by the 12 July 2024.

Confidentiality and Privacy

The results of this survey will be analysed and reported only as anonymous aggregated data. 

The privacy policy of Portico, the knowledge platform hosting the survey, is available here.

Get all updates and results of the survey

Your views matter and will be widely disseminated! The aggregated survey results will be published on the European Urban Initiative’s knowledge platform Portico and disseminated through various EUI tools including at EU level events, workshops and seminars.  Sign up for the EUI newsletter and create your Portico account at the conclusion of the survey to receive all the latest updates and detailed results directly in your inbox.

About the European Urban Initiative

The European Urban Initiative is managed by the European Commission – DG REGIO via indirect management. The European Commission has designated the Region Hauts-de-France (France) as Entrusted Entity, for the implementation of the EUI. EUI is operationally managed on a daily basis by the EUI Permanent Secretariat located in Lille (FR).

Thank you for your valuable inputs!