Processes and patterns of urban Europeanisation : evidence from the EUROCITIES network

Abstract

The Europeanisation of cities is seen as an important condition for the latter's successful contribution to the development of an EU urban policy. To assess the probability of this event our paper investigates the Europeanisation of the members of the EUROCITIES network, the most important trans-European city network. Using survey data gathered from 48 member cities, the study maps different elements of the cities' Europeanisation trajectory, looks for underlying patterns and figures out how EUROCITIES membership relates to this process of urban Europeanisation. The explorative analysis results in a diverse and multi-layered picture. EUROCITIES members vary strongly with regard to their internal Europeanisation process. Whilst generally not scoring very high on minimal steps such as interest in and knowledge of EU affairs, cities are more actively involved in obtaining EU funding, networking and lobbying the EU. Furthermore, urban Europeanisation seems to work as a functional toolbox rather than a linear, cumulative process. The Europeanisation patterns that are found, for instance, include [GRAPHICS] interest and knowledge as general preconditions of urban Europeanisation, a logic of networking that involves exchange schemes with other cities and EU institutions, as well as lobbying and to a lesser extent the establishment of an EU department which are connected to different other elements of urban Europeanisation. Finally, the involvement in EUROCITIES positively correlates with some of the most rewarding manifestations of the mobilisation of cities on the European scene such as inter-city policy exchange, obtaining EU funding and lobbying the EU institutions