The New EU Urban Agenda: Strengthening Local Partnership in EU Multi-Level Governance?

(proposed panel: Mechanisms and consequences of internationalization and Europeanization) The adoption of the new EU Urban Agenda in 2017 has shifted urban policy more into the focus of EU multi-level governance and cities into the centers of European integration. The Urban Agenda for the EU introduced a new multi-level working method promoting cooperation between urban policy stakeholders. The purpose of this intergovernmental instrument outside the formal EU Treaty documents is 'a more effective integrated and coordinated approach to EU policies and legislation with a potential impact on urban areas' and the involvement of urban authorities in policy design and implementation. Acknowledging and strengthening the urban dimension of EU policies, its three 'pillars' of 'better regulation, better funding, better knowledge' aim to optimise existing instruments of multi-level governance, refraining from any additional legislative or financial provisions. The key implementation mechanisms are Partnerships between Member States, European Commission, cities, organisations and experts, being created on a voluntary base in currently twelve priority areas. But in principle, this concerns all relevant EU policies fields, whereby territorial cohesion is mentioned only in relation to 'reducing the socioeconomic gaps observed in urban areas and regions'. Thus, apart from stressing the symbolic role of cities as actors, objects and arenas of European politics, the important methodological contribution here is a cross-sectoral and collaborative approach to EU policy making. In some aspects referring to the living labs advanced in the urban academic literature, this experimental approach promises interdisciplinary responses to practical problems where the EU holds limited competences or where administrative barriers inhibit effective solutions. In a context of European institutional crises, the engagement of local authorities, expert knowledge and stakeholder cooperation may also contribute to address perceived democratic deficits. In times where integration stagnates between Member States, an increased transnational dynamics at the subnational level and knowledge exchange may also add new impulses to the European project. However, reflecting the rise of non-majoritarian institutions in European policy making, the voluntary base of the partnership mechanisms implies legitimacy deficits concerning their democratic representativeness and accountability. The question whether we merely face a further advance of techno-managerial solutions or whether the partnerships may also offer channels for increased civic participation relies very much on the way how the involved urban experts interpret their task. In order to answer this question, this paper traces the evolution of the EU Urban Agenda so far and draws out a research agenda for enquiring into the ongoing implementation of Urban Partnerships and other associated projects.