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European Residents’ Agenda 2005
Ten recommendations 		updated
Dec 22nd, 2004

European Conference ‘Making New Connections’
On 26 and 27 November 2004, there was a meeting in Rotterdam of over 200 residents from larger cities from the following EU member states: Belgium, The Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland* and the United Kingdom. They discussed the following issues:

  • Safety
  • Work and Youth
  • Housing; urban regeneration
  • Integration
  • Living standards, environment and Social Cohesion
  • ICT and Social Cohesion.
The residents drafted ten recommendations, together forming the European Residents’ Agenda 2005 . This Agenda was presented to the Dutch minister of Government Reform and Kingdom Relations, Thom de Graaf, on November 27, 2004. The European Residents’ Agenda 2005 will also be presented to:
- The European Commission   
- The European Parliament
- The Committee of the Regions, and
- Euro Cities.

Ten Recommendations for the European Union

In general
1.   EU Subsidies
European subsidies are inaccessible to citizens. Therefore the European regulations should be readjusted.

2.   Citizens’ initiatives
Citizens’ initiatives are vital in all of the themes mentioned below. That is why a EU fund for citizens’ initiatives would contribute greatly to the improvement of urban areas in decline and create a meaningful relationship between citizens and the European Union.

3.   Exchange of knowledge and information
There should be an EU fund for citizens to enable them to share their knowledge and experiences since this will lead to mutual views concerning quality of life in neighbourhoods. This should tie in with existing European residents’ networks. 4.   Disputes between population groups
Disputes between population groups can only be resolved through dialogue and with mutual respect. The Six Conference Themes
5.   Safety
The Improvement of safety in neighbourhoods cannot take place without active involvement by residents. Therefore they need the opportunity and means to be involved.  
  • Improving safety requires a chain approach at European level by combating poverty, as well as the language barrier, drugs, corruption and must involve active participation by ethnic minorities.

6.    Housing
Residents require EU programmes promoting a bottom-up approach to participation in cases of restructuring and urban regeneration.

  • Negotiations should happen on an equal footing. All participants are equal
  • Prior to restructuring, residents should be consulted on a broad basis
  • The upshot of restructuring plans should be to the benefit of the local residents
  • An open and honest dialogue is essential
  • Regulations should be set up in order to make a public announcement at the very start of reconstruction plans
  • A fund allowing residents to hire expert advice in cases where neighbourhoods will be reconstructed
7.   Integration
Citizens’ initiatives lead to sustainable integration because of:
  • Personal contact and relationships
  • Extension and integration of social networks
  • Language education in daily life
  • More involvement by population groups that are difficult to reach.
8.   Work & Youth
Jobs are the basis for successful integration because they lead to a successful future
  • Extra attention for the youth
  • Prevents creating citizens without a ‘future’
9.   Living standards, environment and Social Cohesion
Social cohesion is a close to home issue. In needs a bottom-up approach. The EU can stimulate this by using good practice examples
  • Social cohesion is a ‘close to your house and street’ process
  • Therefore it is always a bottom-up process
  • The EU can stimulate this by means of pilot-projects
10.   ICT
ICT can be an instrument for improving social cohesion. All Citizens should have access to the internet and be able to use it. This means:
  • Governments must recognize that internet has a social function
  • There should be good and affordable connections to internet
  • Access to hardware and software
  • Being able to use it (education)
  • Simple applications should be provided and programmes with emphasis on the use of computers as a means and not a goal
  • Make open source and software generally available 
*Switzerland took part but is not a memberstate of the EU
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