One h?undred European cities were selected by the European Commission to participate in the Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2030 through the development of smart solutions. In addition to EUR 360 million of Horizon Europe funding for 2022 and 2023, the cities involved will benefit from tailor-made advice and assistance, as well as opportunities to participate in large innovation actions and pilot projects. The European Committee of the Regions' rapporteur Markku Markkula, Member of Espoo City Council, considers this as a huge opportunity for these cities.

The Climate Neutral and Smart Cities mission is one of the five EU missions to tackle pressing societal challenges. Four out of five missions are directly related to the climate or to the cleanliness of soil and water. As rapporteur of the European Committee of the Regions, Mr Markkula has represented EU cities and regions in the negotiations on the implementation of the missions. His opinion was adopted at the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions on 29 April.

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