The European Commission has presented a series of measures aimed at helping cities improve quality of life, public services and environmental conditions. The new Agenda responds to the growing pressures faced by urban areas, including climate change, pollution, housing shortages and social inequalities.

A new study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) reveals that trust in the EU has reached its highest level since the 2008 financial crisis – but a significant and growing urban-rural divide persists. The analysis further confirms that rural residents continue to place the strongest trust in regional and local authorities.

Population decline, ageing and migration dynamics are expected to deepen territorial disparities across the EU in the coming decades, a new report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) reveals.

The European Commission has published its ex-post evaluation of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF) for 2014-2020, concluding that both funds delivered substantial support for economic development, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion across the EU.

A new OECD publication reveals how rural innovation is distinct from urban innovation in being driven by people, networks, technology and place-based creativity, rather than formal research and development (R&D) alone. It sets out concrete policy recommendations to strengthen rural innovation systems.