Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona

The Committee of the Regions has published an opinion paper on the challenges facing metropolitan regions and their position in the future Cohesion Policy 2021-2027. The document, presented by Juraj Droba, Chairman of the Bratislava Region and member of the Committee of the Regions, was prepared with the assistance of the International Relations Service of AMB at the preliminary draft stage. 

Juraj Droba took part in the annual EMA (European Metropolitan Authorities) forum in June in Lyon, to highlight the role of Europe's metropolitan areas as a member of the Committee and to explain what social policies are being implemented in his own metropolitan area as Chairman of the Bratislava Region. At this edition of the EMA forum, the debate was focused on how to meet the great metropolitan social challenges, namely, metropolitan governance for social and territorial cohesion, inclusive economic growth and urban planning to provide social solutions for all.

The aim of this paper is to bring to light the common challenges and opportunities that Europe's metropolitan areas are facing. At present, more than 70 % of the European population lives in urban areas, and therefore metropolitan areas are becoming the main economic powerhouses and growth centres of the member states, generating the highest levels of wealth, competitiveness, employment, innovation and education. At the same time, these territories also have to face major challenges, such as unemployment, poverty, lack of affordable housing, mobility problems and air pollution. These challenges require a supra-local focus and strong metropolitan governance to guarantee social cohesion and quality of life in the EU.

In this context, as the paper stresses, metropolitan areas have a unique opportunity to provide a new metropolitan approach to the preparation, definition and implementation of EU policies in general, and to the new 2021-2027 EU Cohesion Policy in particular.