The Commission's passion for frameworks of all kinds continues with a new Community framework for co-operation to promote sustainable urban development. The framework will provide financial and technical support to networks of local authorities across EU borders. The objective is to encourage the conception, exchange and implementation of good practice in the following fields:

• Information and exchanges of information on sustainable urban development and Local Agenda 21 (LA21) and improvement of environmental quality in areas where environmental problems occur alongside socio-economic problems.
• Co-operation between the partners concerned by sustainable development and LA21 at European level.
• Accompanying measures needed to analyse and monitor activities in the field of sustainable urban development and LA21.

Details of what is covered by each field are set out in the decision adopting the framework.

The scheme is designed to include the Commission, networks of local authorities, organised urban multi-stakeholders, community networks such as NGOs, universities and other actors, organised at European level. Networks of local authorities must cover at least four member states to qualify. The networks may include towns and cities in central and eastern European countries, Cyprus and Malta as well as in other countries having association agreements with the Community. Altogether, 14 million Euros have been allocated to the scheme. Each year the Commission will issue a call for proposals by 31 January and will decide by 31 May which projects it will finance. The scheme, which officially started on 1 January this year will end on 31 December 2004.

The scheme has been welcomed by the Committee of the Regions which is urging the Commission to recognise the role of the regions as well as individual cities in delivering sustainable urban development. The Committee has also stressed the importance of having standardised, universally accepted and effectively comparable environmental indicators with which to assess environmental problems across the EU. In addition, it has emphasised that integrated transport and mobility policies must be devised if sustainable development objectives are to be met.

Decision No. 1411/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on a Community Framework for co-operation to promote sustainable urban development. OJ L 191. 13.07.01 pp 1-191