Lobbying

Atlantic Cities defends the interests of cities in the Atlantic area by ensuring that the specific issues of these territories are taken into account in public policies. To this end, Atlantic Cities maintains an ongoing dialogue with national and European policymakers.

Atlantic Cities plays an essential role in promoting Atlantic culture and the natural richness and heritage of the area, while drawing attention to its vulnerability to the consequences of climate change. Atlantic Cities advocates development of the European Atlantic Rail Network (TEN-T) through the creation of an Atlantic macro-region involving all territories in its strategy.

In addition to the institutional dialogue thus established, Atlantic Cities members regularly come together to co-sign policy declarations warning against these issues, such as the San Sebastián Declaration on Climate Change in 2022, or the Biarritz Declaration on Protection of the Oceans in 2023.

Through these joint declarations, the cities acknowledge their role in such phenomena, and undertake collective action to apply solutions, while making a case for more consideration of the cities’ experience in the decision-making process.