Project MECOG-CE in 2024

In the past year, together with our partners, we have achieved significant milestones in the MECOG-CE project. The achievements contribute to strengthening metropolitan cooperation and governance in Central Europe. In this article we summarise the most important outcomes of the past year.

The first months of the year were devoted mainly to the completion of the analytical phase of the project, during which the partners defined the Common Metropolitan Vision or analysed 76 best practices that came not only from the partner metropolitan areas, but also from those that are not part of the project. You can see all the outputs of the analysis phase here.

On the basis of the analytical phase, we selected eight best practices that were most interesting and beneficial for the partners. These were then explored in detail within the clusters which provided suitable learning opportunities for partners. The clusters focused on the following tools:

• Food Districts (an example of best practice of the Metropolitan City of Turin to improve local agri-food chains),

• Prototyping Academies (example of best practice of the GZM Metropolis focused on participatory methods in metropolitan planning),

• Integrated Metropolitan Transport System (examples of best practice in the management of public transport systems of the Stuttgart Region Association and the Capital Region Berlin-Brandenburg),

• Warsaw Metropolis Association (two tools were included: developing opinions and workshops/trainings, both of which promote mutual relations between members of the association),

• Semi-structures and dialogues for strengthening cooperation (Municipal Neighbourhood Forum and Questionnaire among mayors – examples of best practice of the Joint Spatial Planning Department Berlin-Brandenburg and the City of Brno, which aim to deepen cooperation between individual municipalities and cities and the metropolitan area).

By examining the tools in detail, we were then able to suggest how to apply these tools in the metropolitan areas involved in the project. Each partner focused on one tool and tested how it could be used in their area. This testing, referred to in the project as a pilot action, represented a significant part of the year, as it ran from June to November. In total, there were five pilot actions, which were:

• Potential for food cooperation and its governance network in the Brno Metropolitan Area (testing the Food Districts tool),  

• Participatory approach to transforming metropolitan territories in the Ostrava Metropolitan Area and the Stuttgart Region (testing the Prototyping Academies tool),  

• Possibilities of Integrating Bus Transport in the Warsaw Metropolis (testing the Integrated Metropolitan Transport System tool),  

• Informal and participatory planning approach to the vision process for the Metropolitan Area Berlin-Brandenburg (testing the tool of the workshops of the Warsaw Metropolis Association), 

• Structured dialogue for evaluating the strategic planning process in the Metropolitan City of Turin (testing the Questionnaire among mayors tool). 

The results of this phase of the project play a key role. The metropolitan areas have been able to test the application of the approaches in their territories and thus strengthen metropolitan cooperation and governance. This year, we will focus on new and innovative solutions that will further enhance mentioned best practices and make them transferable across Central Europe. We will also work on the Strategy for strengthening metropolitan cooperation and governance and the follow-up Action plan for the Brno Metropolitan Area. In 2025 we are looking forward to another intensive period full of interesting results and inspiring project activities.

You can follow the latest news about the project on our website, where we publish, for example, the outcomes of the meetings. Last year they were held in Stuttgart and Ostrava. You can also follow the project on its official website or LinkedIn profile.

The project is co-funded by the European Union funds, specifically the European Regional Development Fund, through the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE transnational and interregional cooperation programme. More information about this project including publicity can be found here.