On 20 and 21 November 2024, the Metropolitan Region Amsterdam (MRA) hosted the ninth European Metropolitan Authorities Forum (EMA), an important platform for political dialogue bringing together 25 mayors, vice-presidents and representatives of several European metropolises, as well as members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions. 

Under the theme "Metropolitan perspectives on well-being", the event focused on discussing ways to balance economic development, social inclusion and environmental sustainability. This metropolitan approach aims to define priorities that contribute to the well-being of populations, both now and in the future.

Programme and Highlights

The forum started in the city of Zaanstad, with an official reception and visits to Almere, Haarlem and Zaanstad, which provided practical examples of metropolitan development.

The main conference took place on 21 November, with the participation of:

• Femke Halsema, President of the MRA and Mayor of Amsterdam

• Jan Hamming, Mayor of Zaanstad

• Elisenda Alamany, Vice-President of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area

• Nicola De Michelis, Deputy Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy in the European Commission

• Henri de Groot, Professor of Regional Economic Dynamics in the Free University of Amsterdam

Work sessions and debates brought together mayors and members of the European Parliament to explore scalable and inspiring solutions addressing issues such as housing, transport, social inclusion and sustainability.

The Vice-President of the Porto Metropolitan Area, Jorge Vultos Sequeira, was one of the participants in the roundtable with the theme Society: How can we ensure livelihoods and also that more people work in adequate jobs with decent conditions?

Recognition at Metropolitan Dimension

During the event, Elisenda Alamany highlighted the role of metropolitan areas as drivers of development and called on the European institutions to strengthen support at metropolitan level in the formulation of policies and funding. The vice-president also underlined the importance of a cohesive metropolis to face complex challenges and announced the ambition to host the 10-year commemorative edition of the forum in Barcelona.

The forum was also an opportunity for the Porto Metropolitan Area to strengthen ties with other European metropolitan areas, sharing best practices and contributing to the elaboration of the political declaration that will be presented to the European institutions.

Hein Van Der Loo, Mayor of Almere, expressed the pride of the region in hosting the event, highlighting that the forum reflects the commitment to the well-being of the people: “More than ever, what happens abroad has a direct impact on people’s daily lives. This forum is an opportunity to look at the future with a shared vision of the needs of our societies.”

With the participation of 58 metropolises from 21 countries, representing 122 million inhabitants, the EMA Forum continues to consolidate itself as a strategic platform to promote well-being and sustainability at European level.

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