Small urban areas are an important part of Europe in their function as regional centres. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) commissioned ÖIR – together with Spatial Foresight and t33 – with the study “Small urban areas – a foresight assessment to ensure a just transition”. This study looks at the particular challenges of small urban areas in coping with major societal changes in Europe – demographic change, green and digital transition as well as recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and from the war in Ukraine.

The report gives an overview of EU support, funding instruments and initiatives to strengthen the capacity of small urban areas and identifies their gaps. The study also provides policy scenarios for the small urban authorities describing how to use the just transition as a chance für urban and regional development.

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