The role and future perspectives of cohesion policy in the planning of metropolitan areas and cities - 11WS21420

The metropolitan authorities and cities of Turin, Barcelona, Brno, the Brussels-Capital Region, Lisbon, Lyon, Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot, Florence and Riga, along with Eurocities and Metropolis, all of which are partners of the ESPON study METRO, are willing to share their experiences in designing programmes and strategies to implement cohesion policy post-2020. During the previous programming periods, their role in specific investment priorities was enhanced. Nevertheless, their influence on programming remains limited. The speakers will use the final project findings to discuss the role of cohesion policy in planning and implementing metropolitan policies, while also reflecting on how these policies can help to achieve cohesion policy objectives. Metropolitan areas, which are at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic, are called on to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 as far as possible. In this light, the session will address the need for better multilevel coordination, which is more evident than ever.