Three-quarters of EU citizens currently live in urban areas – a figure that is set to rise to 78% by 2050.
Europe’s cities are vital engines of economic growth, innovation and employment. However, they are not without their problems.
A recent Eurobarometer survey has shown that urban populations are increasingly concerned about key local issues.
More than half of the bloc’s city dwellers consider affordable housing an immediate and urgent problem, with respondents in Cyprus, Ireland and Spain feeling the issue more acutely than elsewhere.
The quality of public services and safety in public spaces also top the list of concerns that EU city residents have.
Affordable public transport, economic development and business opportunities were also flagged by 29% of respondents as other key issues.
Almost nine out of those polled said their city would benefit from renovating existing housing to decrease energy bills.
Meanwhile, only 8% of respondents said they thought local authorities were doing a decent job at involving citizens in decision-making.
To improve mobility in the places where they live, citizens said they would like to see more investment in public transport, traffic management, cycling lanes and walkable areas.
The survey was conducted via computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI), with some of respondents recruited via social media networks.
The survey included 11,998 interviews in cities, 11,882 interviews in suburbs and towns, and 7,975 interviews in rural areas.