Today, young people took the stage in shaping the future of cities and Europe. 30 students, aged from 16 to 30, have joined EU Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva in Warsaw, Poland, to share their vision on urban transformation and their role in driving change. The discussions explored how the EU can support more sustainable, innovative, and inclusive cities that meet the needs of future generations.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation said:
“Today’s dialogue showed that Europe’s youth is ready to act. Your ideas on sustainable cities, digital innovation, and inclusion matter—and they will feed into initiatives like the Cities Mission and the New European Bauhaus. Change starts locally, so keep the momentum going in your communities. Your voice counts."
The discussion was shaped under the following themes:
- Environment and sustainability – how cities can become greener and climate resilient;
- Technology and innovation – the role of digital solutions, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and smart infrastructure in shaping future cities;
- Inclusion and accessibility – how to create cities that are welcoming, inclusive and socially cohesive.
Young participants challenged ideas and put forward bold questions on this wide range of issues—from climate-neutral urban planning and green spaces to AI-driven smart city solutions and social inclusion in public spaces.
The outcomes of the Youth Policy Dialogue will be summarised in an upcoming report which will be available online.
Background
About the Youth Policy Dialogue
Youth Policy Dialogues enable young people to express their views on EU policy initiatives by providing a space for meaningful interaction with European Commissioners and to integrate youth views in the EU’s political agenda. The dialogues foster open discussions, share insights, and build connections with young people on pressing issues and empower young people by fostering their active engagement in democratic life. Youth Policy Dialogues enable young people to better understand the choices behind policy decisions and their impact.
President Ursula von der Leyen, in her Political Guidelines 2024-2029, has tasked all Commissioners with holding a Youth Policy Dialogue within the first 100 days of the new mandate, reinforcing the Commission’s commitment to engaging young people in EU decision-making.
About the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission
The event took place within the framework of the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, which supports 100 cities in the EU in their commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2030. It was also linked to the New European Bauhaus (NEB), a policy and funding initiative that makes green transition in built environments enjoyable, attractive and convenient for all.
The EU Cities Mission aims to deliver 100 climate-neutral cities by 2030 and to ensure that these cities act as experimentation hubs to enable climate neutrality in all European cities by 2050. With support from a Mission Platform, mission cities develop and implement Climate City Contracts that undergo review by the Commission and may lead to the award of a Mission Label.
53 Mission Cities cities have already received a Mission Label: the first batch in October 2023 with Sønderborg (Denmark), Mannheim (Germany), Madrid, Valencia, Valladolid, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Zaragoza (Spain), Klagenfurt (Austria), Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Stockholm (Sweden), the second batch in March 2024 with Ioannina, Kalamata, Kozani, Thessaloniki (Greece), Heidelberg (Germany), Leuven (Belgium), Espoo, Lahti, Lappeenranta, Tampere, Turku (Finland), Barcelona, Seville (Spain), Pecs (Hungary), Malmö (Sweden), Guimaraes, Lisbon (Portugal), Florence, Parma (Italy), Marseille, Lyon (France), Limassol (Cyprus) and Izmir (Türkiye) and the third batch in October 2024 with Aachen, Münster (Germany), Trikala (Greece), Miskolc (Hungary), Eilat (Israel), Bologna, Bergamo, Milan, Prato, Turin (Italy), Liepāja (Latvia), The Hague (the Netherlands), Porto (Portugal), Bucharest 2nd District, Suceava (Romania), Ljubljana, Kranj (Slovenia), Gothenburg, Gävle, Umeå (Sweden). A fourth batch will be announced in the second quarter of 2025.
More information
Youth Policy Dialogue with Commissioner Zaharieva on the Future of Cities
Youth Policy Dialogues | European Youth Portal
EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
Cities on a journey to climate neutrality
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Details
- Publication date
- 10 March 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Research and Innovation