The European Commission and more specifically DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion published a catalogue concerning the best practices implemented throughout European regions and cities to make them more accessible and more inclusive for vulnerable groups.
The Access City Award is the European prize for making cities more accessible to people with disabilities and older people. The award is open to all cities within the EU with more than 50,000 inhabitants.
It is an EU initiative that :
- recognises efforts by cities to become more accessible
- promotes equal access to urban life for people with disabilities
- allows local authorities to promote and share their best practices
It rewards since 2011 cities’ efforts on making accessibility and inclusion a priority. It takes into account if public transports are easy to access, particularly for people with disabilities and older people but also the access to technology and the Internet among other criteria.
2018 winners were announced last december: Lyon, Ljubljana and Luxembourg for the first, second and third prize.
Every edition has its special prize. Members of the jury identify a city that has adopted a unique approach to its challenges. In 2018, the special prize was given to Viborg, Denmark for its ability to make the city more accessible while keeping its historical setting.
The next edition has been launched on 18th of June and applications will be open until the 17th of September. The main criteria is being a 50,000 inhabitants city.
You can find more information
- about the best practices implemented by the last edition winners, here
- about applying for the next edition, here
