Membership in International Organisations and Networks

EUROCITIES is one of the most promising memberships for Bratislava thanks to its broad membership and thematic foundations.

The topics addressed, the broad membership base of around 200 European cities, the level of services and information provided, and the sheer weight and connection of the organisation to European structures represent real potential for its members.

EUROCITIES provides a space for cities to present themselves and showcase their “best practices”, and it presents the opportunity to get involved in different projects, apply for grants and find project partners. The platform provides access to a network of relevant partners for the professional exchange of experiences.

Bratislava is a member of several expert forums and working groups within EUROCITIES. Active involvement can be adjusted from time to time according to the city’s currently monitored and addressed priorities.

This club was founded in 2003 upon the initiative of the mayor of Strasbourg. Bratislava has been a member since its establishment.

The Strasbourg Club brings together various European cities and aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences in urban policy, solving common problems of European agglomerations, building international partnerships and developing various forms of cooperation at the municipal level.

The club focuses on projects such as supporting students through grants, promoting sustainable development, transport, social inclusion and cultural exchange.

This organisation was founded in 1885, when it was only an association of tramway operators. It is now a global association for all modes of public transport and includes operators, relevant scientific institutions, sections of local government and other bodies.

The aim of the UITP is to create a network of contacts, cooperation and information exchange for those working in public transport. The results of the public transport innovation group are available to members. The initiative brings together more than 3000 entities, and Bratislava has been a member since 2009.

The LHC is a global group of historical cities and is based in Kyoto, Japan. The league's first conference was held in 1987.

The main task of the organisation is the exchange of experiences and information and the promotion of international dialogue between historical cities in the spirit of the motto of “preserving and developing historical cities”.

It currently includes around 100 cities from around the world. Many major European capitals are members, and Bratislava has been a member since 1994.

Once a year, the mayors of capitals in the EU have the opportunity to meet directly with representatives of the European Commission to discuss important current issues facing Europe's major cities.

The aim of these meetings is to stimulate debate on the role of cities in European politics and to make the dialogue between the local and the European level more effective.

Topics discussed over the past years have included urban policy, advocating for a more accurate and fairer distribution of EU funding between cities and regions, increasing the share of European subsidies to cities, efficiently using existing funds and mechanisms to support cities, focusing on current issues such as the environment and environmental challenges, and focusing on EU social issues and policies.

These meetings were established in 2005 as a voluntary initiative by Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana, Prague and Vienna. The participating cities signed a joint declaration stating that they were linked by a common history as well as by a common present and future within a united Europe – which they wish to actively contribute to.

In addition to this format, a broader meeting of city hall directors of a larger group of European cities has been held since 2011.

The main objective of the initiative is to exchange practical experiences in dealing with urban policies and projects in order to increase the efficiency of local governments’ functioning and to maintain direct contacts at the level of city administration.

The Pact of Free Cities was launched in 2019 on the initiative of the V4 capitals – Bratislava, Budapest, Prague and Warsaw – as a political statement in favour of liberal democracy.

Through the pact, the mayors jointly commit to supporting and respecting democratic principles and values such as freedom, tolerance, openness, transparency and the promotion of diversity.

In addition to this focus on values, the initiative aims to showcase the role of cities as key actors in addressing and responding to important societal challenges, such as mitigating the impacts of climate change and the ability of cities to respond to crises; one example of this is the involvement of cities in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is why the pact also advocates direct, transparent and fair funding for cities so that they have greater powers and opportunities to meet Europe’s climate goals and deliver quality services to citizens. In 2021, the pact was expanded to include twenty more cities that share and uphold the same values.