The EU continues to make a positive impact on sustainable development in partner countries and beyond. European Commission’s Directorate General for International Development is responsible for designing European development policy and delivering aid throughout the world by using a set of financial instruments with a focus quality and effectiveness. EU development policy seeks to foster sustainable development with the primary aim of eradicating poverty.

Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) play a very important role in this process. Through experience exchanges, information-sharing platforms and peer-to-peer learnings, LRAs from all Member States have the capacity to make positive changes in partner countries and contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals.

DG DEVCO, as part of the ‘Partnerships for Sustainable Cities’ programme, has recently launched a Call for Proposals focusing on promoting ‘’integrated urban development through partnerships build among Local Authorities of the EU Member States and of partner countries in accordance with the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development’’.

What is this call about?

The goal of this call is to strengthen urban governance. Proposals should also address at least one more of the following objectives:

• Ensuring social inclusiveness of cities
• Improving resilience and greening of cities
• Improving prosperity and innovation in cities

The call has a budget of €53m, with geographical groupings for partnerships with Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean and the Neighbourhood East and South.

Dates for the diary

Further information on the call’s priorities can be found here. Local authorities are encouraged to partner amongst each other for the project.

Concept notes only must be submitted by December 6^th at 12:00 (Belgian local time). Outstanding questions can be communicated to EuropeAid-161146@ec.europa.eu.