What it is
Eurocities is the network of major European cities, with more than 200 members in 38 countries. Much of its work happens in thematic forums: standing groups of member cities on one policy area each, such as culture, digital, economic development, mobility, social affairs and the environment. The governance page lists six forum chairs, each an elected politician from a member city; the Economic Development Forum is chaired by Aix-Marseille-Provence and the Environment Forum by Bologna.
This series is the forums’ annual meetings, each hosted by a member city. They are working meetings, not public conferences: the events listing marks them as member-only, and the registration links lead to the network’s member sign-in.
How a forum works
The forums run all year through working groups; the annual meeting is where members of one forum gather in person. A Eurocities job advert for the Environment Forum describes it as bringing together over 150 cities on climate neutrality, air quality, green areas and biodiversity, noise, waste, circular economy and adaptation, with an annual meeting held once a year and a steering committee of forum and working-group chairs.
The next two meetings
The Economic Development Forum meets in Barcelona from 28 to 30 October 2026, and the Environment Forum in Guimarães from 3 to 6 November 2026. Earlier in the autumn, the Culture Forum met in Gothenburg from 30 September to 2 October. We could not find programmes or venues published. One discrepancy: the job advert gives 3 to 7 November for Guimarães, while the events listing says 3 to 6 November.
What came out of a past edition
Eurocities’ report on the 2025 Economic Development Forum gives a sense of the format. It took place at OGR Torino, a former railway repair depot in Turin, and was combined with the European Capital of Innovation Awards in a Cities Innovate Summit run with the EU agency EISMEA on 3-4 December 2025. Cities compared notes on innovation districts, attracting and keeping talent, and tourism taxes; Barcelona described tightening short-term rental rules. Prague’s representative set the forum’s priorities for the year: city attractiveness, skills for the green and digital transitions, balanced tourism and reindustrialisation. futurehubs follows the awards separately at European Capital of Innovation Awards.
Why it matters for cities
For a member city, the forum is where its officers meet counterparts working on the same portfolio, and the forum helps cities defend their interests at European level. Both 2026 hosts have futurehubs profiles: Barcelona and Guimarães.
Taking part
You need to work for a member city: the membership page lists forum participation among the benefits of joining. Non-members are pointed to Eurocities’ public events. futurehubs also follows the network’s Eurocities Annual Conference.