What changed in the cities
Short, verified items from the official sources of the cities we follow: projects, funding, openings, plans adopted.
Tuesday 20 October
- Barcelona Regeneration and housing Barcelona opens €10.5 million in grants for home renovation and building accessibility Barcelona City Council has opened two grant calls: €6 million for energy and adaptation works inside homes and €4.5 million for lifts and step-free access in shared areas.
- Copenhagen Climate and energy Copenhagen starts collecting nappy waste for recycling Copenhagen has begun collecting used nappies from blocks of flats with young children and from municipal day-care centres, so that they can be recycled instead of incinerated.
- Turin Climate and energy Turin approves €861,000 of energy upgrades on three municipal buildings The works, part of the EfficienTO plan for about 850 municipal buildings, are expected to avoid 129 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.
- Turin Regeneration and housing Turin approves phased plan for Ponte Mosca urban campus in the Aurora district The city executive amended the planning agreement for a private campus at Ponte Mosca, which will now be built in three phases with more green space.
- Turin Regeneration and housing Turin reopens historic Boncompagni school after €9.5 million renovation The renovation of the primary school in San Donato was paid for by Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
- Valongo Civic participation Valongo hosts FLY! 2026, a European forum on youth participation Valongo co-organised the Forum for Local Youth Impact (FLY!) 2026 with the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) on 15 and 16 October.
- Vienna Regeneration and housing Vienna tightens short-term rental rules with a mandatory register and higher fines A council committee backed a package that limits converting flats into tourist accommodation across the whole city.
Monday 19 October
- Amsterdam Climate and energy Amsterdam wins EU LIFE support to turn green waste into biochar The European Commission listed the city's LIFE NATURECDR project among its new LIFE awards, with carbon credits tested as a funding source for urban greening.
- Vienna Climate and energy Vienna commissions Europe's most powerful rainwater pump of its type on the Donauinsel The €18 million upgrade of the Donauinsel pumping station raises flood protection for the 21st and 22nd districts after the September 2024 storm.
Sunday 18 October
Saturday 17 October
Friday 16 October
- Amsterdam Regeneration and housing Amsterdam home-rental overnight stays in 2025 were 59% below 2019 The city's annual tourism report shows hotel stays rising while nights booked in private homes through online platforms keep falling.
- Bonn Talent and innovation Bonn agreement with the federal government due to be signed on 17 December 2026 The supplementary agreement to the Berlin/Bonn Act, meant to secure Bonn's role as Germany's second federal political centre and UN city, is close to completion.
- Cluj-Napoca Regeneration and housing Cluj-Napoca hosts URBACT URBAN ECHO partners to plan the regeneration of Iris From 13 to 15 October 2026 Cluj-Napoca hosted the third transnational meeting of URBAN ECHO, which it uses to adapt Ghent's neighbourhood regeneration model to the Iris district.
- Eindhoven Inclusion Eindhoven opens 19 temporary studios for formerly homeless residents in De Zuidwester Eindhoven has opened the converted Zuidwester building, with 19 studios as a temporary home for people who were homeless and a neighbourhood room run by local residents.
- Marseille Regeneration and housing Euroméditerranée appoints UAPS as urban adviser for its next six years in Marseille The state development agency has hired a multidisciplinary team led by UAPS to steer the next phase of Marseille's largest regeneration operation.
Thursday 15 October
- Bucharest Culture Bucharest opens its draft cultural strategy to feedback from cultural organisations Bucharest has launched the strategiaculturala.pmb.ro platform so cultural organisations can comment on the city's cultural strategy, now being drafted.
- Paris Climate and energy Paris opens a Campus de la Résilience to prepare residents for crises The City of Paris has opened a centre in the 15th arrondissement where residents, schools and organisations can train for climate, health, domestic and technological risks.
Wednesday 14 October
Thursday 8 October
- Amsterdam Regeneration and housing Amsterdam statisticians forecast 1.08 million residents by 2050 A new report from the city's research and statistics office tests several scenarios for births and migration and their effect on growth.
- Turin Inclusion Turin joins EU social-economy procurement project meeting in Iași The city took part in the third interregional meeting of PROSECO, a European project on using public procurement to support social enterprises.
Wednesday 7 October
- Copenhagen Regeneration and housing Copenhagen moves to cut waiting times for local development plans Copenhagen is preparing measures to shorten the time it takes to process local development plans, including letting officials adopt simple plans and, as a trial, letting developers draft proposals.
- Lyon Climate and energy Lyon's first natural swimming site at Confluence confirmed for summer 2027 The Métropole de Lyon has confirmed the Confluence swimming project, allowing the city to work towards opening a supervised river bathing area in summer 2027.
- Nacka Culture Nacka joins ICORN and will host a persecuted artist, writer or journalist Nacka has joined the International Cities of Refuge Network, becoming one of about 25 Swedish municipalities and regions that give persecuted cultural creators a safe place to work.
Tuesday 6 October
- Copenhagen Regeneration and housing Copenhagen approves six new resident-led city-life streets Copenhagen has approved six more city-life streets, local streets redesigned with planting, seating and traffic calming on the initiative of residents, with work expected to start in spring 2027.
- Eindhoven Climate and energy Eindhoven hackathon looks for ways to make better use of the full electricity grid The City of Eindhoven ran the Recharge Eindhoven Hackathon, where 12 teams spent two days on practical answers to grid congestion.
- Solna Civic participation Four-party Solnakoalitionen to lead Solna for the 2026-2030 term After the September 2026 elections, the Social Democrats, Left Party, Centre Party and Green Party agreed to keep governing Solna together, with a 90-point programme.
Monday 5 October
Friday 2 October
Thursday 1 October
- Marseille Talent and innovation First stone laid for Théodora, a 35,000 m² training and AI campus in northern Marseille Construction has begun on the Théodora campus opposite the Gèze transport hub, part of a wider effort to turn the area into a new urban centre.
- Ghent Mobility Ghent sets aside €4.46 million for a social mobility budget against transport poverty From 1 May 2027 low-income households in Ghent can use a city-funded mobility budget for shared cars and bikes, bike purchase or repair and transport to work.
- Oulu Talent and innovation Oulu reaches the semi-finals of the European Capital of Innovation Awards 2027 Oulu is one of six semi-finalists in the European Rising Innovative City 2027 category of the European Capital of Innovation Awards.
Wednesday 30 September
- Ghent Culture Design Museum Gent reopens after four years with a new wing and a city-wide festival Design Museum Gent reopened on 3 October 2026 after four years of renovation and construction of a new wing, with more than 120 activities across the city.
- Eindhoven Regeneration and housing Grid congestion: only 2,156 of more than 13,000 planned Eindhoven homes get capacity Grid operator Enexis has given provisional capacity to 13 Eindhoven housing projects with 2,156 homes, while 59 projects with 10,845 homes go on a waiting list.
- Budapest Mobility Permit plans ready for the renewal of Budapest’s Nagykörút boulevard Budapest has completed the permit plans for renewing the Nagykörút between Nyugati tér and Boráros tér, with more trees, wider pavements and protected cycle lanes.
Tuesday 29 September
- Paris Climate and energy Paris speeds up heat adaptation with €400 million for schools After a summer of extreme heat, the City of Paris has announced an acceleration plan that puts €400 million into schools and adds shade sails, green space and housing measures.
- Lahti Talent and innovation Pre-study backs a new city-centre university campus at Ranta-Kartano in Lahti A pre-study by the City of Lahti, LUT University and LAB University of Applied Sciences recommends further work on a campus at Ranta-Kartano.
Friday 25 September
- Ghent Climate and energy Ghent and Ghent University extend their fossil-free city partnership The City of Ghent and Ghent University have renewed their research partnership on making the city fossil-free by 2050, with Ghent used as a living lab.
- Nacka Mobility Nacka and partners call for close scrutiny of new metro cost forecast After Region Stockholm reported a sharp rise in the cost of the metro extension, Nacka, three other municipalities and the state said the new figures must be examined thoroughly.
Thursday 24 September
- Eindhoven Climate and energy Eindhoven opens the Energiehuis, a walk-in centre for home energy advice The City of Eindhoven and partners have opened the Energiehuis in the WoensXL shopping centre, offering residents independent advice on saving energy and making their homes more sustainable.
- Marseille Inclusion Marseille sets out support for its 60,000 students, including 600 new residence places At the start of the academic year, the City of Marseille listed its measures on student housing, food, mental health and access to rights.
Monday 21 September
Friday 18 September
Tuesday 15 September
Saturday 12 September
Wednesday 9 September
Tuesday 8 September
Monday 7 September
- Nacka Inclusion Fisksätra report shows rising safety, falling crime and more residents in work The latest progress report for Framgång Fisksätra, Nacka's long-term programme for the Fisksätra district, records rising safety, falling crime and more residents in employment.
- Barcelona Mobility TMB puts Barcelona's first fully electric neighbourhood minibus into service Barcelona's public transport operator TMB has introduced its first battery-electric minibus on neighbourhood line 185, with four more due within weeks.
Friday 4 September
Thursday 3 September
Wednesday 2 September
Tuesday 1 September
- Bucharest Mobility Bucharest launches tender for 100 trolleybuses and prepares one for 79 trams Bucharest City Hall has put out to tender 100 new battery-assisted trolleybuses, partly EU-funded, and is preparing a tender for 79 trams.
- Cluj-Napoca Mobility First section of Cluj-Napoca's metropolitan ring road completed with bus and bike lanes The Cluj-Napoca – Florești section of the metropolitan ring road has been widened to six lanes, including 3.5 km reserved for buses and bicycles.
- Oulu Climate and energy Oulu signs cooperation agreement with ABO Energy on a hydrogen plant The City of Oulu and ABO Energy Suomi agreed a framework for developing, planning and permitting a hydrogen plant in the Pyyryväinen green transition zone.
Monday 31 August
- Cluj-Napoca Talent and innovation Cluj-Napoca completes the high school and sports hall of the Borhanci education hub A new high school for 360 pupils and a sports hall, worth €8.4 million, are finished in Cluj-Napoca's Borhanci district.
- Paris Climate and energy Paris bathing sites welcome 216,000 swimmers in summer 2026 The second season of public swimming in the Seine, the canals and sports centres ended with 216,000 bathers, and the city has announced a further season in 2027.
Friday 28 August
- Bucharest Climate and energy Bucharest approves over €520 million of water and sewer investment with Apa Nova Councillors have approved a plan with the city's water operator Apa Nova for more than €520 million of water and sewer works over 11 years, aimed partly at urban flooding.
- Bucharest Regeneration and housing Bucharest General Council adopts the city's Integrated Urban Development Strategy Bucharest now has an Integrated Urban Development Strategy (SIDU), the document it needs to draw down EU funds for city projects.
- Tampere Culture Tampere completes renovation of the Tullikamari Cultural Centre The renovated Tullikamari Cultural Centre was handed over to its users on 1 September 2026, with Tampere Jazz Happening as its first event.
Thursday 27 August
- Bucharest Regeneration and housing Bucharest prepares an international design competition for the Magheru boulevard Bucharest will redesign the Bălcescu – Magheru – Piața Romană axis through an international competition organised with the Romanian Order of Architects.
- Lahti Mobility Lahti's downtown bus stop pilot gets real-time displays after a smooth start New departure displays are in use at Lahti's pilot bus stops in the city centre, where the trial began on 10 August 2026.
- Nacka Mobility Nacka adopts a plan for boating, waterfront access and commuter boats Nacka's nature and traffic committee has adopted a plan for boat and coastal life, covering more berths, shore promenades, bathing places and better public transport on water.
- Solna Mobility Solna fourth in Kommunvelometern cycling review, first among mid-sized municipalities Solna came fourth overall and first among mid-sized municipalities in Cykelfrämjandet's national review of municipal cycling work, its best result to date.
Tuesday 25 August
- Bonn Regeneration and housing Bonn student residence with 115 subsidised places gets €12.71 million in state housing aid The state housing minister was due to lay the foundation stone of an eight-storey timber-concrete student residence on a former car park deck in Bonn.
- Lahti AI and technology Lahti plans a second large data centre in the Kujala industrial area A data centre developed by ecogrid.energy Oy and Peab is planned for Kujala, with construction expected to start in the first half of 2027.
Tuesday 18 August
- Budapest Climate and energy Budapest wins USD 50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies for youth-led climate projects Budapest will run a Youth Climate Action Fund with USD 50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies, supporting at least eight climate micro-projects led by young people.
- Solna Regeneration and housing Solna and Peab sign framework agreement to restart Nya Ulriksdal A new framework agreement between Solna and the builder Peab lets the long-stalled development of the Nya Ulriksdal district move ahead.
Wednesday 12 August
Monday 10 August
Tuesday 4 August
Thursday 23 July
Wednesday 22 July
Tuesday 7 July
Thursday 2 July
Thursday 25 June
Thursday 18 June
Wednesday 17 June
- Marseille Inclusion Marseille opens 2026 call for projects against gender inequality in sport The City of Marseille is funding a new round of projects that open sports spaces and activities to women, girls and gender minorities.
- Lyon Mobility Record 17,517 responses to Lyon consultation on car-free rue Grenette A month-long online consultation on rue Grenette, a year after it was reserved for public transport, drew the largest response on Lyon's participation platform, with most respondents backing the change.
Thursday 11 June
Wednesday 10 June
- Lahti Civic participation Evaluation of Lahti's participatory budgeting asks for a stronger link to decisions A review of Lahti's participatory budgeting for 2020-2025 finds clear local results but a weak connection to wider city decision-making.
- Oulu Climate and energy Oulu wins Eurocities Award 2026 for its sustainability education model Oulu’s Sustainable Future Learning Stream won gold in the Urban Climate Actions theme of the Eurocities Awards 2026.
- Tampere Climate and energy Tampere's regional emissions fell 9% in 2024, with transport now the largest source Tampere's 2024 emissions calculation shows a 9% fall excluding industry, driven by electrified district heating, while road transport remains the largest source.
Wednesday 3 June
- Eindhoven Regeneration and housing Eindhoven signs development agreement for the 700-home Schellenskwartier The City of Eindhoven has signed an agreement with Woonbedrijf, B-Right, RMJ Vastgoed and PPHE Hotel Group to take forward the Schellenskwartier, a district of about 700 homes by the Dommel.
- Oulu Regeneration and housing Oulu approves a city centre vision to guide development until 2040 Oulu’s Urban and Environmental Committee approved the City Centre Vision 2026–2040, an advisory plan prepared with residents.
Friday 29 May
- Valongo Climate and energy Serras do Porto Natura 2030 brings €1.7 million for nature restoration around Valongo A project worth more than €1.7 million for ecological restoration and climate adaptation in the Serras do Porto hills, covering Valongo, Gondomar and Paredes, was presented on 28 May 2026.
- Valongo Mobility Valongo hosts the closing meeting of the EU GreenMove mobility project Valongo hosted the final meeting of GreenMove, a CERV-funded European project with 17 partners on sustainable and inclusive mobility that began in 2024.