ERRIN Smart Cities Working Group study visit: Medium-sized cities leading transformative change
On 12 June, at the initiative of a few ERRIN members, including Cities Northern Netherlands EU Office, Turku-Southwest Finland European Office and Stavanger Region European Office, the Smart Cities Working Group took a half-day trip to Mechelen – a medium-sized city in the heart of Flanders.
This visit offered a tangible demonstration of how medium-sized cities can lead transformative change. Participants had the opportunity to discover (or rediscover) the city, which has undergone an impressive transformation over the past 25 years thanks to strong political will and European support. Several site visits showcased the ecological quality and beauty of urban developments enabled by various European projects such as Water Resilient Cities (Interreg), Wetlands4cities (LIFE) and WATSUPS (Innovative Action), all implemented in Mechelen’s city centre.
The city’s approach to active mobility, water management and urban biodiversity illustrates how ecological measures can go hand-in-hand with enhancing social cohesion. Mechelen demonstrates that urban spaces, when thoughtfully designed, can foster community, well-being and sustainability.
Small and medium-sized cities as drivers of innovation and transition
The example of Mechelen shows how small and medium-sized cities can be drivers of transition and innovation. Access to European funding is a key lever in this, but not the only one. Cities, which are responsible for implementing 70% of EU policies, must be involved in shaping EU public policies to ensure they are best tailored to their needs. This was precisely one of the points highlighted by ERRIN in its contribution to the future EU Policy Agenda for Cities.
A big thank you to Mayor Bart Somers and his team for this inspiring visit.
- Paul Brunet
- 03/07/2025