Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC)

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) was chosen to take the lead in the preparation of a web-based instrument for the development of sustainable cities at the occasion of the informal meeting of urban development ministers held in Toledo, Spain, on 22 June 2010.

Indeed, CEMR was offered the possibility to replace the French Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea as chair of a working group dubbed 'Member States / Institutions" (MS/I) until the end of 2011, for the duration of the testing phase. This group will serve to prepare the European Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC), which will allow users to develop an integrated urban development strategy or to check whether their strategy is in line with the concept of sustainable urban development.

CEMR Vice-President, Anders Knape, who represented CEMR at the informal meeting, underlined that 'many cities, municipalities and regions have already engaged in initiatives aimed at reducing CO2 emissions, increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy, etc. However, a lot still remains to be done to implement an integrated approach".

He also called on member states to 'provide organisations such as CEMR with a place at their meeting tables, as these represent democratically elected and representative entities" and that they 'consider the local and regional levels as their partners".