The urban environment

In adopting the report by Mrs Anita POLLACK (PSE, UK) on Strengthening EU Urban Environment Policy, the European Parliament called on the Commission to develop, in conjunction with other parties (e.g. experts on the urban environment), an overall vision for urban problems including sustainability issues, and to create a cross-departmental urban affairs unit to improve coordination on urban issues. The document to be drafted should take account of the impact of Community policies on urban areas. It called on the Commission to continue to support the Sustainable Cities Campaign, and a programme of pilot projects under URBAN, LIFE or other available sections of the budget. It called on the Commission to produce more and better information on the state of Europe's urban environment and ensure its widespread dissemination. Tthe Commission should also devise and develop comparable sustainability indicators and implement a sustainability audit scheme which could be applied when Community financial aid was granted.�