Purpose of city statistics
The "Urban Audit" data collection provides information and comparable measurements on the different aspects of the quality of urban life in European cities.
Improving the attractiveness of regions and cities is one of the priorities targeted by the renewed Lisbon Strategy and the EU's strategic guidelines for cohesion policy for 2007–13.
Quality of life is crucial in attracting and retaining a skilled labour force, businesses, students, tourists and, most of all, residents in a city.
Assessing the current situation is a prerequisite for any improvement, development and future monitoring.
The "Urban Audit" is a response to this demand for assessment.
Data collection currently takes place every three years, but an annual data collection is being planned for a smaller number of targeted variables.
| Click on the map to consult the cities participating in the Urban Audit data collections: |  |
Urban Audit cities outside the EU
The European Commission has made a major effort to cooperate with Turkey, Croatia, Switzerland and Norway in the field of urban statistics. 26 Turkish, 5 Croatian, 6 Norwegian and 4 Swiss cities have been selected for the Urban Audit.
