Over the past few decades, the role that cities play in international politics has increased. In an age in which people, goods, money and information are more than ever transcending national boundaries, cities serve as platforms for the discussion of shared international issues. Mayors appear at big conferences on climate and sustainability and compete for the right to host international events such as the Olympics or the European Capital of Culture. Where originally diplomacy was primarily the domain of states, nowadays it is also familiar territory for cities. This diplomacy does not only manifest itself globally but also at the European level. New partnerships are established in which European cities join forces to promote shared interests. It is partly because of these developments that the EU regards cities as important partners for the European agenda setting and devising strategies for addressing this agenda. However, the question is whether this type of urban diplomacy can be an avenue for closer European cooperation. Does it attest to a shared engagement with European issues, or is it mainly a platform for business-minded pragmatism?

The diplomatic positioning of cities

Traditionally, diplomacy has mainly been linked to the state, serving as a means to keep the peace, defeat common enemies and promote trade. As far back as Ancient Greece, ambassadors were used as representatives of the Greek city-states outside city boundaries. During the Renaissance, Venice and Milan regularly organised diplomatic missions abroad, and in the 19th century diplomacy became the domain of the European nation states. Nowadays, states no longer have the monopoly on social, economic and political activity, and a large range of other players are active in the field of diplomacy. For example, cities increasingly act as representatives on issues that can be promoted and addressed at an international level. It is no wonder that diplomacy has become an important part of urban policy. Cities tend to be the hubs where businesses settle, the economy flourishes, migrants meet and young people engage in creativity and innovation. Cities have increasingly become the logical locus of international cross-fertilisation.

The value of urban diplomacy for European cooperation

It is partly because of these developments that the EU sees cities as important partners for European agenda setting and devising strategies for tackling European issues.