Activities developped by the city that will be designated as European Capital of Culture will strive to enhance the range, diversity and European dimension of its cultural offering; to widen access to and participation in culture; to strengthen the capacity of its cultural sector and the links of the latter with other sectors and to raise its international profile through culture.

An increasing number of sectoral EU policies explicitly target urban areas: Energy, Information Society, Environment, Climate Action, Education and Culture, Transport, etc. support initiatives such as European Capital of Culture, Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership, Green Capital Award, Covenant of Mayors and Mayors Adapt.

In accordance with Decision No 445/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 establishing a Union action for the European Capitals of Culture for the years 2020 to 2033 and repealing Decision No 1622/2006/EC (1), the Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture, is launching a call for submission of applications for the Union Action ‘European Capital of Culture’ for the year 2021 for cities in candidate countries and potential candidates for EU membership which participate in the ...[+++]Creative Europe Programme.

The objectives of the European Capital of Culture action are to safeguard and promote the diversity of cultures in Europe and to highlight the common features they share as well as to increase citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area, and to foster the contribution of culture to the long-term development of cities.

The aim of the Urban II Initiative is to promote innovative strategies for economic and social regeneration in deprived urban areas, at the same time facilitating the identification of good practice and exchanges of experience across the European Union. To achieve this, the strategies receiving support under the Initiative must:

(38) Whereas these Community initiatives should concentrate on promoting cross-border, transnational and inter-regional cooperation (Interreg), economic and social regeneration of cities and urban neighbourhoods in crisis (URBAN), both to be financed by the ERDF, rural development (Leader), to be financed by the EAGGF Guidance Section, and the development of human resources in the context of equal opportunities (EQUAL), to be financed by the ESF; whereas the promotion of cross-border cooperation - in particular in the perspective of enlargement, transnational and inter-regional cooperation - takes on particular significance in this cont ...[+++]ext; whereas due attention should be given to cooperation with the outermost regions; whereas it is necessary to reinforce the coordination of cross-border, transnational and inter-regional cooperation with the measures enacted in the context of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89(8), Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 1279/96(9) and Council Regulation (EC) No 1488/96(10), especially in view of the enlargement of the European Union and taking account of the Europe-Mediterranean partnership; whereas due account should be taken of the social and vocational integration of asylum seekers in the framework of EQUAL;